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Sony Pictures Network is strengthening its content pipeline of international cricketing properties.
The company said it has acquired the exclusive media rights from the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) for the Indian subcontinent for a period of five years starting 2018 through 2022.
The agreement with ECB gives SPN the rights to both televise and digitally broadcast within the Indian subcontinent, men’s and women’s international matches, including Test matches, T20 Internationals and ODIs, played in England.
This is the seventh such tie up for Sony. Previously, it had inked deals with major international cricket boards, namely, Cricket Australia, England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB), Pakistan Cricket Board, Sri Lanka Cricket, Cricket South Africa, Cricket West Indies and Zimbabwe Cricket Board.
“We are investing heavily in all sport as it is major driver for growth for us. Cricket as a sport is highly popular in India and has good prime time viewing. Our aim is to have at least 300 days of cricket alone over the next 12 months,” Rajesh Kaul, President, Sports and Distribution, Sony Pictures Network, told Business Line .
Kaul said SPN will telecast more than 80 international matches of the men and women teams in England. The Indian team is all set to tour England in July where they play five Test matches, three One-Dayers and three T20 Internationals. Real-time and live match viewership available in Bangladesh, Pakistan and Sri Lanka, apart from India.
SPN has 11 sports channels in its cluster. SPN reaches out to over 700 million viewers in India and is available in 167 countries.
Until last year, Sony had held the right for IPL. However, this year Star India outbid the IPL media rights for both digital and linear broadcast for a whopping ₹16347.50 crore.
NP Singh, MD and CEO, SPN, said: “The acquisition of media rights of ECB for a five-year term, effective now through 2022, provides for some exciting cricket viewership. SPN will now be home to almost all international away series giving our fans a one-stop destination to view their favourite stars in action
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