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Cricket PlayersIndia vs New Zealand: Kiwis need to show worth to grab better TV deal
Cornered by the growing clout of broadcasters, who have been reduced to two after Sony took over Ten, thereby making the competition a duopoly, the English, Australian and South African boards formed a group that could bargain hard for overseas rights.
In this claustrophobic, noisy, hot and grimy town, New Zealand will look to breathe life into their cricket.
Ahead of the series, their cricket board was party to a plan that could have brought about a radical change in the way cricket — basically bilateral series — is sold.
Cornered by the growing clout of broadcasters, who have been reduced to two after Sony took over Ten, thereby making the competition a duopoly, the English, Australian and South African boards formed a group that could bargain hard for overseas rights. The Kiwis and Pakistan joined in, leaving India the only major board in disagreement.
This group wants plum series like Ashes or Australia-South Africa in a pool with some mediocre ones and it will have to be bought by the broadcaster. So, a broadcaster keen on buying rights to the Ashes for the subcontinent will also be forced to relay some bland series as well.
Of late, New Zealand have participated in some insipid bilateral Test series. They’ve struggled to churn out stars, with the now-retired Brendon McCullum producing the only show-stopper performances.
This was evident from the viewership during Indian winters. For the last two years, fans here haven’t witnessed cricket from New Zealand, something they sacrificed sleep for a decade or two back.
When cricket in coloured clothing made its foray into Indian living rooms through the 1992 World Cup, the pretty little New Zealand grounds, one or two cut in strange shapes with lush outfields made an immediate impact. The Kiwis, led by Martin Crowe, added colour with the way they played — courage and performance backing their ideas.
Stars with panache — the likes of Stephen Fleming, Chris Cairns — kept audiences captivated.
India, the big catch
Now, Kane Williamson and his men playing in India should act as a motivator. Even if the stands remain empty, there will still be millions who will take note of their performance if they do well. Indian fans matter.
The Kiwi board made money when India toured in 2009 and 2014. Their most recent deal, covering the period 2013-18 with a broadcaster went awry. The broadcaster sold it to Sony who showed interest in only the 2014 India series, which was a hit. The World Cup brought in revenue but thereafter, there has been uncertainty.
Sentiment in the broadcasting community has been like, “It is not that people are missing cricket. There is so much of it. People are spoilt for choice. Besides, the Kiwis don’t have a player you’d pay to watch.” Williamson, however, could be one. His batting and captaincy is starting to make waves. But he needs to hit these shores hard and leave a legend.
