Andrew Alderson: Newstalk ZB Sports Reader ahead of the Indian cricket tour

Andrew Alderson, Newstalk ZB Sports, is with us this morning.

Hey, Andrew.

Greetings, Ryan.

Yes, you'll be a late one for us.

Yes, I think that's a tricky proposition, isn't it? You've got to work in with India and their broadcast schedules.

But I think if you're taking a family along to the ground on a Thursday night, school night, And you're getting back at 11.30.

I mean, it's hardly ideal.

I mean, it'll be pretty chilly, I imagine, still, potentially in October.

I mean, hardened souls down in Christchurch.

But, yeah, not ideal.

But that deal's worth a pretty penny, isn't it? Sony Pictures Network's India.

This deal that they've signed means that they can forecast a $10 million-plus surplus for the next financial year at Cricket New Zealand.

That's why you've got to be prepared to take a thermos and a warm woolen blanket.

Yeah.

This

is just the golden egg, isn't it? When India arrived for a tour, with the broadcast rights as they are, and you can sell it back to India, there's just merchandising, there's everything involved with that.

The turnstiles were as well.

India's such a presence around the world, and people will be heading along.

So, yeah, I mean, a number of those games already sold out, the white ball games, and then moving on to the two test matches in Christchurch and Wellington.

So, yeah, it's just such an amazing opportunity for New Zealand cricket to, I guess, reap the

rewards.

Totally.

Presumably there will be more people watching this in India than there are people in New Zealand.

So that's the balance, isn't it? Exactly, exactly.

I mean, it's not, I suppose, ideal even there.