ESPN Star Sports bags Sri Lanka Premier League rights

Insearchindia.com Team

(23 July 2012 7:00 pm)

MUMBAI: ESPN Star Sports (ESS) has reached a multi-year broadcast rights agreement for coverage of the Sri Lanka Premier League (SLPL).

In addition to India, ESS will also air SLPL in other markets like Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Cambodia, Hong Kong and Thailand.

Sri Lanka becomes the 6th cricket body with whom ESS is working on the shortest form of the game. ESS already has the rights to existing T20 leagues from Australia (Big Bash League), England (Pro T20), Bangladesh (Bangladesh Premier League), CLT20 and ICC WT20. The IPL, the most-watched and lucrative T20 format, however, is with Multi Screen Media (earlier known as Sony Entertainment Television India).

The multi-year deal includes a minimum of 24 T20 matches per season. Star Cricket, Star Sports and ESPN will broadcast all the matches from 11 August.

The first edition of the SLPL will see seven provisional teams compete for the trophy as well as a qualifier berth to the Champions League Twenty20 (CLT20) to be held later this year.

ESS MD Peter Hutton said, "We are delighted to be able to telecast the live matches of the SLPL in India and throughout the region. It is an excellent addition to Star Cricket's remarkable catalogue of content in the next year, headlined by India's home series against Pakistan, England and New Zealand, the ICC World T20, the Champions League T20 and the ICC Champions trophy. We look to further growing our live cricket content."

The SLPL will feature 42 international players participating from seven countries including Australia, Bangladesh, Pakistan, South Africa and West Indies. However, Indian players won't participate in SLPL following Indian cricket board's decision not to allow its players to take part in the league.