Aaron Bunch Journalist with Australian Associated Press | Collection of published work | + 61 484 008 119 | abunch@aap.com.au
Ricky Ponting signs with Seven Network
Ricky Ponting has agreed to a commentary deal with the Seven Network, but his coaching aspirations aren’t over.
May 11, 2018
Ricky Ponting has signed a deal with the Seven Network to be the face of their new cricket coverage.
AAP understands the deal will still allow Ponting, who is currently in India coaching the Delhi Daredevils in the Indian Premier League, to fit coaching around his commentary commitments.
Ponting had been talked about as a potential coach of Australia’s Twenty20 side after the Cape Town ball-tampering scandal.
Australian cricket underwent its biggest media shake-up in 40 years in April when Fox Sports and Seven signed a joint $1.182 billion broadcast deal to win the broadcasting rights from the Nine Network.
The new deal could signal the end for long-time Nine commentators such as Bill Lawry, Ian Chappell and Mark Taylor.
Seven and Fox Sports will broadcast all home and domestic cricket for at least the next six summers.
Seven will broadcast Test matches and 43 of 59 Big Bash League games, while Fox Sports will televise every game.
Former Test vice-captain Adam Gilchrist signed with Fox Sports’ cricket team two weeks ago.
Gilchrist and Ponting, along with Damien Fleming and Mark Waugh, were popular members of Network Ten’s BBL commentary.
Meanwhile, cricket’s new media landscape continues to evolve, with News Corp Australia reporting on Friday afternoon that radio network Triple M is dropping its broadcast of Test matches.
The network says the broadcasts are no longer commercially viable.