Live-Streaming The Women's Ashes Is Not A Favour - It's An Investment In A Professional Future For Our Game

Cricket Australia have confirmed that they will be live-streaming the Women's Ashes Test and ODIs via their web site. (The T20s are on TV anyway.)

The stream will also include synced-up radio commentary, which (I assume?) is being shared with TMS, so we'll even get to hear Daggers and co!

It's great news for fans, but further to yesterday's article it is important to understand that Cricket Australia aren't doing us a favour here - this isn't an act of charity - it's business!

As Tom Lehrer wrote of The Old Dope Peddler:

"He gives the kids free samples, because he knows full well; 
That today's young innocent faces will be tomorrow's clientele!" 

And that's exactly what is going on here - Cricket Australia are giving us a 'free sample' in the hope that more of us will get addicted and later pay for it!

It's what all businesses do - it's called investing - spending money now to build up the fan-base that they hope will one day pay them back!

And yes, one day I'll have to get my credit card out and fork-out for a live stream. But that will be a good day, because the money I hand over will be creating a sustainable, professional future for our game.