Packer, Kerry Francis Bullmore

▪ 2006

      Australian media magnate (b. Dec. 17, 1937, Sydney, Australia—d. Dec. 26, 2005, Sydney), was at his death the richest man in Australia, with an estimated wealth of A$7 billion (about US$5 billion). Packer was also known for having created (1977) World Series Cricket, which challenged the traditional governance of international cricket. He was the younger son of Sir Frank Packer, founder (1933) of Australian Consolidated Press. In 1956 Packer entered the family business, and on his father's death (1974) he became chairman. After gaining control of the company in 1982, he bought out the shareholders in 1983 and took it private. In 1976 Packer bid for exclusive rights to televise Test cricket in Australia, but the national cricket board awarded the rights to the Australian Broadcasting Commission, despite Packer's having made a higher bid. In response, Packer organized World Series Cricket, which was to feature several dozen top players from the principal cricketing countries in a series of 15 five-day “Super Tests” and 49 one-day matches, many of which were to be played at night with a white ball rather than the traditional red one. The International Cricket Conference (now Council; ICC), having failed to negotiate a compromise, announced that players taking part in “disapproved” matches would be banned from Test cricket. Packer sought an injunction against the ICC ruling in the British High Court, which granted it. Although World Series Cricket lasted for only two seasons and was not a financial success, several of Packer's innovations became established in international cricket, including the predominance of one-day matches and the wearing of coloured uniforms in one-day cricket. The salaries of top players also rose substantially over what they had been before the Packer revolution. Packer's other sporting interests included horse racing and polo.

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