Sky Backs City-based Domestic T20

Sky has reportedly offered to pay around £40m a year in broadcasting rights for a domestic Twenty20 tournament, which would see teams billed as cities rather than counties, according to media reports.

The Guardian reported this weekend that the new format – a revamp of the domestic competition based around eight city-based teams – could be in place for 2017.

The England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) is likely to face opposition from the counties, however additional money from the Sky deal could be offered in a bid to accept a cut in the number of Championship matches as a way of making room for the competition.

The additional revenue from Sky would also allow the teams to pay bigger wages to encourage international stars to the competition, in a similar style to the IPL and Australia’s Big Bash League.

The deal would also enable Sky to market the broadcasting rights globally, with matches ideally taking place in the evenings, after the end of any international games taking place at that time.

Any agreement is yet to be confirmed by either Sky or the ECB. 

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