West Indies Cricket (CWI) has completed an innovative new five-year deal with ESPN + for the exclusive US media and digital rights to all West Indies international home matches and regional tournaments.
CWI President Ricky Skerritt said: “This is CWI’s largest ever media rights agreement in the USA and is the first of several new multi-year deals that we will be ratifying over the coming weeks. Broadcast media rights income is vital to CWI’s future financial sustainability, and this five-year rights agreement is just the beginning of good things to come. “
CWI’s media partnership with ESPN, North America’s largest sports broadcaster, will bring West Indies cricket to millions of households and viewers across the United States through the ESPN + sports streaming service.
The ESPN + partnership will include live coverage of all West Indies international series covering all T20 International, One Day Internationals and Test matches within the International Cricket Council Futures Program (FTP) (ICC).
Starting with the all-format Tour of the Caribbean by Sri Lanka in March, ESPN +’s first year will include series against South Africa, Australia and Pakistan in 2021 building into five home series in 2022 including tours from England and India.
The new deal also includes a CWI marquee 50-over regional tournament, the CG50 Super50 Insurance Cup, which is also broadcast exclusively in the Caribbean by ESPN.
The CG Insurance Super50 Cup will be the first West Indies cricket in the partnership, as the biggest regional competitors and world-class players take the stage from February 7-27 at Coolidge Cricket Ground and Sir Vivian Richards Stadium in Antigua.
Johnny Grave, CEO of CWI, said: “ESPN is the sports channel for American homes and sports fans and we are delighted that West Indies cricket will now be enjoyed in the homes and devices of millions of Americans. We have an ambitious strategic plan to grow our brand and content in North America, and ESPN is the perfect partner to help us achieve our goals. “(CWI)