Seven Network, the Australian commercial broadcaster, has secured exclusive rights in the country to the North American Major League Cricket (MLC) franchise Twenty20 (T20) competition.
The multi-year deal will see Seven air all 34 matches from the competition live via streaming platform 7Plus Sport, with the final simulcast on the network’s linear channel 7mate, starting from with year’s edition (running between June 12 and July 13).
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Seven succeeds Amazon Prime Video, which held exclusive rights to show last year’s edition in Australia and New Zealand.
The short season and scheduling from June to July – the southern hemisphere’s winter season – allows high-profile Australian stars to participate in the competition, with high-profile players including Glenn Maxwell, Steve Smith, Mitchell Marsh, and David Warner set to appear.
Former Australian captain Ricky Ponting also coaches one of the six MLC teams.
The early morning match times come at an advantage for Seven, with games shown in a less crowded window and giving the network second-screening opportunities for later in the day.
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By GlobalDataSeven also broadcasts the Australian men's team’s home tests, as well as women's home internationals, and holds domestic rights to the country’s men’s and women’s Big Bash League (BBL) Twenty20 tournaments alongside pay-TV broadcaster Foxtel in a deal running from 2024-25 to 2030-31.
Earlier this year, meanwhile, the broadcaster also aired the women’s Ashes, played in Australia, and the Australian men’s cricket team’s tour of Sri Lanka.
Seven Network’s commercial director for sport Renee Quirk said: “It’s a natural extension of our cricket story after a blockbuster Indian summer, and it sets the stage perfectly as we build towards a huge Ashes summer ahead.
“This partnership with MLC is just the beginning of a multi-year journey. We’re proud to offer live and free coverage of the competition … helping expose a new wave of talent and excitement to Aussie fans.”
The US league launched in 2023 with six sides – Los Angeles Knight Riders, Seattle Orcas, Washington Freedom, San Francisco Unicorns, Texas Super Kings, and MI New York.
Of the six current MLC sides, four are owned or part-owned by teams (or consortiums) from the prestigious and lucrative Indian Premier League T20 tournament.
This year's edition will be held across Texas, Florida, and California.
MLC chief executive Johnny Grave added: “This agreement reflects the league’s continued growth and rising global interest. Partnering with a leading broadcaster in a major cricket market is a strong endorsement of the world-class talent on display this year.”
MLC is expanding its broadcast partners, having previously secured wide coverage for previous editions. The inaugural competition in 2023 was aired domestically by CBS Sports Network, owned by US media conglomerate Paramount.
Last year, MLC partnered with more regional sports networks to broaden its reach across the US, with Monumental Sports Network, Bally LA, Bally Dallas, and Root Sports Northwest joining the Willow by Cricbuzz and YES Network in the US.
Sony Sports Network provided MLC coverage across India, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, and Nepal last year, meanwhile.
