ECB Announces Media Rights Deals
The England & Wales Cricket Board (ECB) has announced the award of media rights for all of its domestic first-class county and international matches, played at home, from 2020-2024.
The new agreements secure strategic partnerships, wide distribution and increased financial investment to support the growth of the game, at all levels, in England and Wales. The partnerships with Sky Sports and BBC will deliver a combined income of £1.1 billion for all media rights for use in the UK and Ireland.
Tom Harrison, chief executive officer of ECB, said: “This is a great result for cricket. ECB has secured the reach, revenue and relevance the game deserves, to help it to grow.
“Together, these new deals will deliver the partnership, distribution and investment that will fuel the future of our game, driving recreational, professional and international cricket for years to come.
“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.
“BBC are valuable long-term partners, bringing cricket to listeners, viewers and a new digital audience. We are delighted they will go to another level with live coverage of international and domestic T20 alongside primetime highlights shows and a commitment to taking the game to even wider audiences.”
“Right through this process we’ve been excited to witness a fresh approach to the game and what it offers. This has transformed our relationships and our media deals. I want to thank everyone who has talked with us, shown their enthusiasm and added to our vision for the future.”
Colin Graves, ECB chairman, added: “Through these exceptional new partnerships with Sky Sports and BBC we have a unique opportunity to give cricket a very bright future.
“It is vital that the game now takes time to plan ahead and invest strategically in all the right places. The ECB Board will lead on this, working closely with all of our stakeholders at every level of the game.
“The professional players, the men and women who entertain us, inspire people to play and draw us to the grounds will rightly be part of these conversations.”
“This work will build on the dialogue we’ve encouraged across the game over the last two years and which has already led to a shared framework for decision-making in Cricket Unleashed, an approach for an inspiring New T20 competition, and All Stars Cricket, our new entry-level participation programme.”
