Sky Sports sign five-year partnership with the England & Wales Cricket Board
Sky Sports and ECB agree landmark partnership for England Cricket.
“Sky Sports have offered a true partnership – more than a broadcast deal – with their shared vision for cricket. Their innovation and production standards are widely acclaimed. Here, they further increase their live commitment and have added bold ideas to drive engagement and to help to get a bat and ball in more hands.” – Tom Harrison, ECB Chief Executive Officer
The latest deal includes live rights to international and county cricket from 2020 – including every match from the new T20 competition – and a ground-breaking commitment to drive participation and further interest in the game. The deal sees Sky Sports’ partnership with English cricket head into its third decade.
The agreement means that between now and 2024, Sky Sports will be the only broadcaster offering live coverage of all England home Tests, ODIs and T20s, women’s matches and county cricket.
The company also note that following their hugely successful Sky Ride cycling initiative which created interest and participation among millions of people of all ages, Sky will also work with ECB to develop a new participation and engagement approach to help deliver the ECB’s ambitions to grow the game at all levels. Working with the game’s partners, including the BBC, will provide another opportunity to inspire more fans to enjoy the sport. Last year, Sky’s cricket coverage reached nearly 8 million viewers the broadcaster state.
“At Sky Sports we love cricket and so do our customers. This is a ground-breaking agreement that represents a new and exciting approach to sports rights in this country. It extends our partnership with the game into a third decade and will see us work with the ECB to excite and engage cricket fans of all ages. We will continue to innovate in our coverage and make it accessible across our channels, products and services. And drawing on our experience of getting millions on their bikes with our successful 8-year Sky Ride initiative, we are committed to working with the ECB to help grow the game at all levels.” – Barney Francis, Managing Director of Sky Sports
