MKTG Retains Cricket Australia Account, Extending 24-Year Partnership

MKTG today announced the expansion of its long-standing partnership with Cricket Australia, extending a collaboration that has delivered exceptional results over the past 24 years.

As part of the expanded partnership, MKTG will be taking on the virtual advertising rights for the UK and South Africa markets, partnering with CA to build the in-venue media program for Women’s International cricket and delivering several new innovations across the summer for both International cricket and the BBL.

The announcement comes ahead of what is set to be the most anticipated Ashes series in decades. It also comes alongside a blockbuster summer schedule featuring the men’s white ball series against South Africa and India, the women’s multi-format series against India, and the Weber WBBL and KFC BBL seasons.

Ed Sanders, chief commercial officer of Cricket Australia said, "We are delighted to extend our long-running partnership with MKTG, who will again play an important role in helping provide amazing experiences for fans in stadiums across Australia throughout an action-packed summer.

"We're particularly pleased MKTG shares our passion for innovation with initiatives such as virtual sightscreens and innings timer technology, helping us stay at the cutting edge of the game. MKTG also plays an important role in ensuring we provide the best possible exposure for our partners in Australia while helping us expand into important new markets."

Michael da Costa-Alves, commercial general manager, MKTG Sports + Entertainment Australia, said, “We are excited to elevate our partnership with Cricket Australia in what will be the most eagerly anticipated summer in recent memory, from supporting them to unlock new revenue streams internationally, to helping realise the ambitions for the growth of Women’s cricket outlined in their recent Women and Girls Action plan.

"Our partnership spans 24 years now, and the team at MKTG take great pride in supporting the evolution of the sport and keeping it at the forefront of world cricket.”

As part of the expanded remit, MKTG will deliver a record 123 days of cricket across 21 venues spanning every state and territory, from Darwin to Hobart and everywhere in between, from August 2025 and March 2026. MKTG will continue managing Cricket Australia’s stadium media program, delivering premium brand integrations and fan activations that bring Australia’s leading brands to life in-stadium and through the broadcast.

New Innovations for 2025/26 Season

MKTG and Cricket Australia will introduce several innovations this year, including:

• Virtual Sightscreens: Select matches will trial virtual sightscreens through a new collaboration with Broadcast Virtual, a world leader in virtual advertising, allowing for increased creative flexibility for partners.
• New Integrated Moments: Dynamic new integrated moments allowing brand partners to seamlessly align with pivotal game moments
• Innings Timer Technology: MKTG has developed purpose-built web-based technology to support the recent introduction of innings timers into WBBL. The technology offers match referees an intuitive platform for real-time control, monitoring, and reporting. The system enhances accuracy and consistency while ensuring ease of use across multiple venues.

Expanded Commercial Rights

• International Virtual Advertising Rights: MKTG will manage virtual advertising sales in South Africa (August white-ball series) and across the UK for the Ashes, enabling local brand exposure in two of cricket’s most critical global markets.
• Women’s Series Commercial Rights: In line with Cricket Australia’s Women and Girls Action Plan, MKTG is partnering with CA to build the in-venue media program for the Women’s series against India in January -- one of the marquee events in the 2025 Women’s international cricket calendar.

With an expanded remit and an unwavering focus on innovation, MKTG and Cricket Australia are set to partner on the most eagerly anticipated summer of cricket in recent history. From virtual innovation on the world stage to deeper integration across the women’s game and Big Bash formats, the partnership continues to evolve in step with the sport’s future, driving meaningful value for fans and brand partners alike.