Nine scores rights to 2015 and 2019 Ashes, report says

Australian commercial broadcaster Nine has agreed a deal with the England & Wales Cricket Board (ECB) for the media rights to the next two Ashes series played in England, according to the Australian Financial Review newspaper.

The deal for the 2015 and 2019 series is said to be worth between A$20m (€13.7m/$18.3m) and A$25m.

The agreement includes two five-Test series between Australia and England each year, as well as 15 One-Day Internationals and Twenty20 games.

It is understood the deal with the ECB includes free-to-air, digital and pay-television broadcast rights. The Australian Financial Review said that Nine may elect to sell on the rights to the 2015 and 2019 series to pay-television broadcaster Foxtel.

The ECB agreement comes after Nine agreed a new five-year contract with Cricket Australia in June for the rights to home Test matches and ODIs.

The deal, spanning the 2013-14 to 2017-18 seasons, means Nine will continue to show Australia’s home Test and ODI matches – a position the broadcaster has filled for the past 34 years.