Sky Sports Secures International Cricket Broadcasting Rights

Sky Sports has clinched four separate deals for international cricket coverage. The broadcaster will broadcast live coverage of the Sharjah tournament involving India, Pakistan and England from 6-7 April 1999. Every match, including the final, will be broadcast on Sky Sports 2. Coverage of the West Indies Tests and One-Day international series for the next five years was also secured. Broadcasts will begin with Australia’s visit next month.

A further four-year deal to show live coverage of every Test and One-Day series in Pakistan has been secured by Sky Sports, along with a four year deal for TV coverage of South African Tests and Series, including England’s tour next winter.

Vic Wakeling, managing director of Sky Sports, commented: “We can now promise our subscribers live international cricket for the next five years, featuring the world’s major Test playing nations. Sky has built a strong reputation for worldwide cricket coverage and we will continue to deliver.”

Last year, Rupert Murdoch’s BSkyB emerged as the favourite to broadcast England’s home cricket games, breaking the historical bond between the sport and the BBC (see Newsline).

Sky also triumphed over the BBC last year by outbidding the public broadcaster in an exclusive three year deal to the live television rights for the Oscars (see Newsline), and this week announced that the broadcast of the ceremony is to be sponsored by cosmetics manufacturer Revlon. The partnership begins tomorrow, with Revlon sponsoring film premiers and a hollywood gossip-style programme – Hollywood Buzz – as well.

Sky Sports: 0171 800 4254