This article is from the source 'guardian' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.guardian.co.uk/media/2012/jan/31/sky-sports-england-cricket-deal
The article has changed 2 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
Previous version
1
Next version
| Version 0 | Version 1 |
|---|---|
| Sky Sports signs four-year England cricket deal | Sky Sports signs four-year England cricket deal |
| (about 2 hours later) | |
| Sky Sports has signed a new four-year deal for exclusive UK television rights to domestic England international cricket fixtures until the end of 2017. | |
| The agreement with the England and Wales Cricket Board announced on Tuesday includes all England's home Test, one-day and T20 matches as well as at least 60 days of domestic cricket. | |
| Sky will also show some England Lions and women's matches. The deal also covers TV, mobile and online. | Sky will also show some England Lions and women's matches. The deal also covers TV, mobile and online. |
| Tuesday's agreement extends Sky's current deal, which was due to end in 2013, with an option for a further two years taking it to 2019. | Tuesday's agreement extends Sky's current deal, which was due to end in 2013, with an option for a further two years taking it to 2019. |
| Sky has had exclusive live rights to England's home Test and one-day matches since the end of the Ashes series in 2005 which was broadcast on Channel 4, the last to be screened on free-to-air TV. | Sky has had exclusive live rights to England's home Test and one-day matches since the end of the Ashes series in 2005 which was broadcast on Channel 4, the last to be screened on free-to-air TV. |
| England's upcoming home Test matches include three Ashes series in 2013, 2015 and 2019. | England's upcoming home Test matches include three Ashes series in 2013, 2015 and 2019. |
| This follows last week's announcement that the BBC had secured radio coverage of England's home cricket internationals until 2019. | This follows last week's announcement that the BBC had secured radio coverage of England's home cricket internationals until 2019. |
| The ECB chairman, Giles Clarke, said Sky Sports had "raised the bar for all live television broadcasters with its innovative, informed and comprehensive coverage of cricket". | The ECB chairman, Giles Clarke, said Sky Sports had "raised the bar for all live television broadcasters with its innovative, informed and comprehensive coverage of cricket". |
| He added: "No one should be in any doubt that our partnership with Sky has been of immense benefit to the wider game. | He added: "No one should be in any doubt that our partnership with Sky has been of immense benefit to the wider game. |
| "World-class support structures for our successful England teams, major ground improvements at county level, a flourishing coach education programme and [an] increase in participation at our 'Focus' clubs are all byproducts of this relationship." | |
| Sky first showed live coverage of the England cricket team in 1990 with the team's tour of the Caribbean, the first-ever live ball-by-ball coverage of an overseas series. | Sky first showed live coverage of the England cricket team in 1990 with the team's tour of the Caribbean, the first-ever live ball-by-ball coverage of an overseas series. |
| The broadcaster's capture of exclusive home cricket rights after the 2005 Ashes victory, to go with the overseas tours it has traditionally broadcast live, led to a furious response from some cricket fans angry that they would have to pay to watch live cricket. | The broadcaster's capture of exclusive home cricket rights after the 2005 Ashes victory, to go with the overseas tours it has traditionally broadcast live, led to a furious response from some cricket fans angry that they would have to pay to watch live cricket. |
| Cricket highlights have since been shown on Channel 5, with highlights of last year's cricket World Cup on the BBC. | Cricket highlights have since been shown on Channel 5, with highlights of last year's cricket World Cup on the BBC. |
| The Sky Sports managing director, Barney Francis, said: "This is good news for cricket and good news for viewers. Our viewers will enjoy a breadth of live coverage, at domestic and international level, and the ECB extends a partnership that has proved good for the game. | |
| "Cricket is flourishing in England and Wales, with increased participation, record attendances and success for England's men and women. Through extending our partnership, the ECB can invest on and off the pitch and the game can continue to grow." | "Cricket is flourishing in England and Wales, with increased participation, record attendances and success for England's men and women. Through extending our partnership, the ECB can invest on and off the pitch and the game can continue to grow." |
| • To contact the MediaGuardian news desk email editor@mediaguardian.co.uk or phone 020 3353 3857. For all other inquiries please call the main Guardian switchboard on 020 3353 2000. If you are writing a comment for publication, please mark clearly "for publication". | • To contact the MediaGuardian news desk email editor@mediaguardian.co.uk or phone 020 3353 3857. For all other inquiries please call the main Guardian switchboard on 020 3353 2000. If you are writing a comment for publication, please mark clearly "for publication". |
| • To get the latest media news to your desktop or mobile, follow MediaGuardian on Twitter and Facebook. |
Previous version
1
Next version