ESPN seeks bids for non-India cricket rights

Leading sports broadcaster ESPN-STAR Sports which holds global telecast rights to all ICC matches from 2008 to 2011 has invtied bids for sub-licencing of rights outside of India to interested parties. These includes broadcasters, broadcasting unions, sports rights agencies, cable operators and affiliates as well as media companies across the globe.

However, ESPN-STAR Sports will not re-sell its broadcasting rights for India. The broadcaster had won the rights last year for $1.1 billion. The invitation to tender for various rights outside India is to be released shortly to participating parties.

Manu Sawhney, MD, ESPN-STAR Sports: "As the global ICC Broadcast & Production Partner, we are heartened by the success of the recent ICC World Twenty20. We believe that the package of rights till 2011 offers broadcasters unparalleled cricket programming, with one major ICC event each year, as well as a number of other high-quality international competitions."

Late last year, ESPN STAR Sports' affiliate, EML, was awarded the exclusive global telecast rights from the International Cricket Council (ICC) for all of their events from 2007 to 2015. The ICC cricket calendar over the next four years is filled with a number of key events every year, including the ICC Champions' Trophy in Pakistan (2008), the 2 nd edition of the ICC World Twenty 20 in England (2009), ICC Champions' Trophy in West Indies (2010) and the ICC Cricket World Cup in the Indian subcontinent scheduled to be held in 2011. In addition, a number of other exciting events such as the ICC Under-19 Cricket World Cup (2008 and 2010), the ICC Women's World Cup (2009), ICC World Cup Qualifier (2009), and the World Cricket League (2011) are also included in the package of rights on offer.