Sky TV, NZ Cricket face crunch talks as Black Caps-Sri Lanka games could make way for proposed private-franchise T20 league

The Black Caps’ fourth test match against Australia, in Sydney, will be played in early January, while Sri Lanka is currently slated to play two tests, three T20 games and three one-day internationals in New Zealand in January/early February.

The two test matches are critical, as they fall under the requirements of the World Test Championship schedule. Along with those two tests, the Black Caps also have to play two other tests in Pakistan by the end of March.

So if NZ Cricket decides to proceed with the new private-franchise T20 competition in January, it means it would likely have to cut the Black Caps’ six white-ball matches (three T20 and three one-day games) against Sri Lanka.

Will cricket fans get to see the Black Caps in T20 and one-day action against Sri Lanka next January? Photo / Richard Moore

One other possibility raised in the board paper is concurrent matches – having one group of Black Caps playing white-ball games against Sri Lanka in New Zealand in February, while another group of Black Caps are playing test match cricket in Pakistan. The paper does not put this forward as one of the three formal options.

The document reveals NZC has contacted Sri Lanka to check on any flexibility in their own schedule.

Regardless, the paper said there were other factors that were now pressing, including venue confirmation and broadcast/commercial planning.

The three options presented to the board, along with commentary, are:

Retain the Sri Lanka tour as originally scheduled. This would maintain the Future Tours Programme integrity and World Test Championship alignment, says the paper, and “provides certainty to broadcast, commercial and venue partners”. It would avoid “reputational risk” but it would not create a clear January window for the private-franchise T20 competition.Remove the Sri Lanka white-ball matches (three T20 and three one-day games) and reschedule as part of the next FTP cycle. This would create a January window, but there would be “broadcast implications arising from reduced confirmed content during active negotiations with Sky and ongoing rights discussions with Sony”. Also, commercial partner “sensitivities may be amplified, particularly in the context of January positioning and perceived impact on international rights value”.Confirm India (India have been confirmed as coming to NZ in October/November) and announce Sri Lanka provisionally. The paper acknowledges this “may weaken NZC’s negotiating position with Sky, where schedule certainty is a key consideration in rights fees discussions”. There could also be “potential scrutiny from NZC’s commercial partner regarding scheduling uncertainty”.

The board paper acknowledges this third option would lead to “increased media and stakeholder focus”, especially as NZ Cricket considers four options for the future T20 domestic competition – the private-franchise league, a New Zealand team in the Australian BBL, a revamped version of the existing Super Smash competition, or the status quo.

Sky TV has just won back broadcast rights for Black Caps and White Ferns home matches after a six-year hiatus, following Spark Sport’s raid on cricket in 2019 (TVNZ later picked up the deal when Spark Sport closed down).

Sky has been touting its new cricket rights in recent investor and media discussions – the sport is a key pillar in its strategy to ensure it owns the broadcast rights to all major codes.

The Sri Lankan visit is, therefore, an important tentpole for Sky and major Black Caps sponsors.

The board paper clearly indicates Sky TV and NZC are in for some delicate discussions.

The other big risk factor for Sky is that TVNZ could swoop in and snare the private-franchise T20 broadcast rights.

The Herald understands there have been informal conversations between at least one NZC representative and a senior TVNZ staff member. Sky will also want to be in the same boat.

Sky TV has won back Black Caps and White Ferns home-game rights for six years from the 2026/27 season. Photo / Photosport

One source told the Herald that Sky was “pissed” about what was unfolding with NZC and the uncertainty over next year. Another source said that word was an understatement. A third source said the description was too strong.

Outgoing NZ Players Association chief executive Heath Mills – the association is a key backer of the NZ20 competition – said he had spoken to the head of sport at Sky, who he said had told him Sky had no concerns.

The Herald put all of this to Sky.

Sky TV spokeswoman Chris Major, in a written response to the specific comment that Sky was “pissed”, said: “Any discussions we have with our partners will be done directly, not through the media. Sorry, nothing further to add.”

NZC spokesman Richard Boock said, in reference to both the Sky partnership and leaked board paper, “NZC enjoys strong relationships with its partners. We respect each other’s confidences. As mentioned [on Thursday], we’ll not publicly discuss questions relating to internal correspondence.”

The board paper noted management was in “ongoing and commercially sensitive broadcast discussions with both Sky (domestic) and Sony (international)”.

“While Sony’s contractual protections limit NZC’s direct financial exposure from schedule amendments in India tour seasons, the broader relationship and current rights fee discussions benefit from NZC demonstrating scheduling reliability and content volume.

“Sky’s long-form agreement negotiations are at a stage where schedule certainty directly influences NZC’s negotiating leverage. Any option that reduces confirmed content or introduces conditionality into the 2026-27 programme would require careful consideration in the context of these negotiations.

“Additionally, a number of NZC’s commercial partners have raised concerns regarding the potential impact of Project Bigger Smash on the January window, including the possible dilution of rights associated with Black Caps and White Ferns international cricket.

“The board’s decision on the 2026-27 schedule will be interpreted by these partners in the context of NZC’s broader strategic direction.”

Do you know more? Please email Shayne Currie in confidence – shayne.currie@nzme.co.nz

T20 revamp

NZ Cricket chair Diana Puketapu-Lyndon (left, inset) and former chief executive Scott Weenink. Illustration / Oliver Rusden; photos / AFP, Photosport

The Herald reported this week that the NZ Cricket board has been eviscerated in an internal staff survey following the ousting of its chief executive, with many staff saying they hold little confidence in the organisation’s direction after the way the board handled his departure.

Among dozens of critical comments from staff are descriptions and allegations of a “weak board”, concerns about interactions between some board members and the cricket players’ association, and fears that the circumstances of CEO Scott Weenink’s departure had left a “stain” on everyone working at NZ Cricket.

The leaked documents come as the NZC board starts discussing one of the biggest and most critical decisions in years – the future shape of New Zealand’s domestic summer competition, and whether to approve a new, private-franchise T20 league.

The board has now received a highly anticipated review from independent consultants Deloitte, which has analysed the four options for the future of the game’s top summer league.

The Herald earlier obtained – and first reported – a New Zealand Cricket Players Association position paper to NZC, dated February 26, in which it presents its case for the NZ20 league.

The paper says the decision between entering Australia’s Big Bash League (BBL), or establishing the NZ20 league in New Zealand, is “fundamentally a choice between minority participation in another country’s cricket asset, or creation of our own nationally anchored asset platform”.

The association said that the BBL option was “vastly inferior” and that it would not support it.

A decision on which option the NZC board goes with is expected in the next two to three weeks.

Editor-at-Large Shayne Currie is one of New Zealand’s most experienced senior journalists and media leaders. He has held executive and senior editorial roles at NZME including Managing Editor, NZ Herald Editor and Herald on Sunday Editor and has a small shareholding in NZME.