UK pay-TV broadcaster BT Sport has agreed a pair of exclusive broadcast partnerships with the New Zealand and West Indies cricketing bodies covering the upcoming England men’s and women’s tours.
The multi-year deals cover all formats of domestic and international cricket in West Indies and New Zealand, but exclude the rights to the Caribbean Premier League (CPL) Twenty20 franchise competition which are sold separately.
The contract between New Zealand Cricket (NZC) and BT Sport has already kicked in, with the network broadcasting the home side’s recent Test series victory over Pakistan, as well as the ongoing men’s and women’s Super Smash T20 competitions.
The deal includes multiple England tours, starting this year with England women’s tour of New Zealand. The New Zealand men’s upcoming series against Australia and Bangladesh men’s later visit are also covered.
In 2022, BT Sport will broadcast England men’s tour of the West Indies. BT Sport’s rights deal with Cricket West Indies (CWI) extends to all men’s and women’s domestic and international cricket in the Caribbean.
Irish cricket fans will also be able to see the national team’s visit to the Caribbean in 2022 as they play three one-day internationals (ODIs) and three T20 internationals.
Before those tours in 2022, BT Sport’s contract covers West Indies’ home internationals in all formats against Sri Lanka, South Africa, Australia and Pakistan.
Rachel Knight, sports rights director at BT Sport, said: “We want to provide customers with the best sport from across the globe, so we are delighted to add the England men’s and women’s cricket teams to our lineup.
“In addition to some hugely important and enticing Test and T20 international matches over the next 18 months, the new rights in New Zealand and West Indies will see the world’s top cricketers regularly on BT Sport.”
John Stephenson
john@cricketinvestor.co.uk
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