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| BT Sport wins Ashes cricket TV rights | BT Sport wins Ashes cricket TV rights |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| Broadcaster BT Sport says it has secured the live rights to the 2017-18 Ashes cricket series as part of a five-year deal with Cricket Australia. | Broadcaster BT Sport says it has secured the live rights to the 2017-18 Ashes cricket series as part of a five-year deal with Cricket Australia. |
| The deal means it will show all Australia's Test matches, one-day internationals and T20 games. | The deal means it will show all Australia's Test matches, one-day internationals and T20 games. |
| Delia Bushell, BT TV and BT Sport boss, said they were "delighted" to be adding international cricket to its line-up, and to cover the next Ashes tour. | Delia Bushell, BT TV and BT Sport boss, said they were "delighted" to be adding international cricket to its line-up, and to cover the next Ashes tour. |
| England won the Ashes series 3-2 this summer against Australia. | England won the Ashes series 3-2 this summer against Australia. |
| They will travel down under to defend the Ashes in 2017-18. | They will travel down under to defend the Ashes in 2017-18. |
| BT Sport will also show free-to-air daily highlights of international matches and from the Big Bash League. | |
| As Sky holds the rights to the 2019 Ashes series in England, it means that UK-based cricket fans will need to have access to both Sky Sports and BT Sport if they want to watch the 2017-18 and 2019 contests with Australia. | |
| Future challenge? | |
| The rights acquisition, the latest salvo in the battle between BT and Sky for sports viewers, also includes the Big Bash League and the women's Ashes. | The rights acquisition, the latest salvo in the battle between BT and Sky for sports viewers, also includes the Big Bash League and the women's Ashes. |
| However, as well as the next Australian tour series to England in 2019, Sky also has the rights to the cricket World Cup that year. | |
| As part of its deal, BT Sport will also show free-to-air daily highlights of internationals and the Big Bash League. | As part of its deal, BT Sport will also show free-to-air daily highlights of internationals and the Big Bash League. |
| Sports broadcasting rival Sky signed its latest deal with the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) in 2012, but may face a challenge from BT Sport when the next contract comes up for grabs. | Sports broadcasting rival Sky signed its latest deal with the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) in 2012, but may face a challenge from BT Sport when the next contract comes up for grabs. |
| The ECB's current agreement with Sky ends in 2019 and its next contract will be the most valuable deal in its history. | The ECB's current agreement with Sky ends in 2019 and its next contract will be the most valuable deal in its history. |
| 'Compelling bid' | |
| Cricket Australia's executive general manager, Ben Amarfio, said BT Sport's reach into more than five million UK homes was a factor in signing the deal. | |
| "BT Sport put forward a highly compelling bid for the rights to broadcast cricket from Australia to audiences throughout the United Kingdom," he said. | |
| The new agreement will start in October 2016 with Australia's home Test series against South Africa. | |
| BT is paying a reported £80m for the deal. | |
| The broadcaster's growing sports portfolio includes all Uefa Champions League fixtures, as well as 38 Premier League games this season. That figure will increase from 2016-17 to 42 PL matches, compared with Sky Sports' 126. |