The battle for cricket broadcasting rights in Australia between the Nine and Ten networks and tech giants such as Amazon could result in content going behind a paywall, an expert says.
Cricket Australia is expected to begin negotiations for its 2019-23 broadcast deal this week amid talk its worth could soar by almost 100 per cent to about $1 billion over five years.
National team broadcasters Nine is understood to be keen on taking Big Bash League rights off Ten, which could mean putting together a bid with Fox Sports, according to Global Sports Media director Colin Smith.
Smith said Nine's future could hinge on continuing its hallowed summer cricket coverage as the threat looms from Ten's American owners, CBS, and digital powerhouses.
"I would find it extremely unlikely that Nine are going to bid much more than $110 or $120 million a year," Smith told AAP.
"And because of the underperformance of the A-League, Fox Sports really haven't got any compelling domestic summer content, so either they need cricket or tennis or some combination of both.
"That could either be Test/ODI or some Big Bash or some combination of the three. So I could see them partnering with Channel Nine for a joint bid.
"But then that means some of the content's going to be behind a paywall. There'll be exclusive content and then Fox Sports will be more than likely want to simulcast."
Smith said a joint bid would put Cricket Australia in a difficult situation.
"It would be controversial because Cricket Australia made a decision to not really push hard with Fox Sports at the last negotiations because they wanted it in front of a paywall," he said.
"And that's certainly been a successful outcome for them because TV audiences are substantive and attendances still are significant."
Smith was doubtful of the $1 billion figure but believed CBS was a wildcard.
"The question is what will CBS do. If Channel Ten bids on its own then it will try to hold the Big Bash," he said.
"But the question is Test cricket and ODI. If CBS decides they want improve the position of Channel Ten to being the total cricket channel, it could go significantly northwards.
"But it's not a given either. I can't see it being anywhere near $200 million a year."
David Rowe, an media expert from the Western Sydney University, said interest from companies such as Amazon, Facebook, Google and Apple was unlikely.
"They've got the means, there's no doubt. Someone like Google can buy and sell Channel Nine several times over," he said.
"In a way, you might say they're more interested in driving their traffic and advertising than acquiring expensive content.
"That has been what's holding them back. You also have the anti-siphoning laws."
