Sky Sports extends ECB partnership
Sky Sports has extended its broadcast partnership with the England & Wales Cricket Board until 2019, increasing its commitment to English cricket for a further two years.
The agreement offers cricket fans coverage of England home fixtures, county matches, women’s and age grade cricket, and will take the existing partnership into its 14th year. The deal also enables English cricket to continue investment at all levels of the game, Sky note.
“We’re passionate about our commitment to the game, including the men and women’s England teams and the County set up, and we’re delighted to extend our partnership with the ECB. Since 2006, our viewers have enjoyed the incredible successes of the England team, including three Ashes victories, winning the ICC World Twenty20 and becoming the number one Test team in the world. We look forward to continuing the partnership until at least 2019.” – Barney Francis, Managing Director of Sky Sports
The Sky Sports cricket analysis team features six former England captains, several Wisden cricketers of the year and World Cup winners. Together they played 769 Tests scoring 33,440 runs and taking 1,694 wickets.
“We are delighted that Sky have taken up their option to extend their broadcasting contract with the England and Wales Cricket Board to 2019 as it demonstrates their belief in the ECB as well as the international, women’s and county game. This decision continues Sky’s unwavering commitment to cricket in England and Wales at every level for a further two years. In the last decade their loyalty and quality as a broadcasting partner has been beyond question and has benefited the game in so many ways. In that period there has been an unprecedented level of investment in the county game, including facilities, the grassroots, particularly coaching, and of course the England men’s and women’s teams. Now in this, Sky’s 10th season as the exclusive live broadcaster, that determination to support the game shines through with the announcement that every ball of the England women’s Ashes series will be shown live.” -Brian Havill, the ECB Acting Chief Executive
