agencyfaqs! news bureau
Media

Cricket crazy ESS looking for global distribution partners

The company has invited tenders for various rights outside India for the high profile ICC events held in 2008-11

ESPN STAR Sports (ESS), ICC’s global broadcast and production partner, has invited interested parties (including broadcasters, broadcasting unions, sports rights agencies, cable operators and affiliates, and media companies across the globe) to participate in the tender process for the TV broadcast rights for ICC events from 2008 to 2011. The invitation to tender for the various rights outside India will be released shortly to the participating parties.

Late last year, ESS’ affiliate, EML, was awarded the exclusive global telecast rights for all of ICC’s events from 2007 to 2015. The ICC cricket calendar over the next four years is filled with a number of key events every year, including the ICC Champions’ Trophy in Pakistan (2008), the second edition of the ICC World Twenty20 in England (2009), the ICC Champions’ Trophy in West Indies (2010) and the ICC Cricket World Cup in the Indian subcontinent in 2011. A number of other events such as the ICC Under-19 Cricket World Cup (2008 and 2010), the ICC Women’s World Cup (2009), ICC World Cup Qualifier (2009), and the World Cricket League (2011) are also included in the package of rights on offer.

Cricket crazy ESS looking for global distribution partners
Manu Sawhney, managing director, ESS, says, “The television coverage of the recent event was widely acknowledged as being of a very high quality and ESS will continue to raise the bar in producing coverage for the various upcoming ICC events. We are keen to build on this successful beginning and to help grow the popularity of cricket across the globe. We believe that the package of rights till 2011 offers broadcasters unparalleled cricket programming, with one major ICC event each year, as well as a number of other high quality international competitions. “

ESS started its partnership with the ICC with the inaugural edition of the ICC World Twenty20 held in South Africa in September 2007, which, in terms of viewership, was a successful event because of India’s winning performance. ESS, through its networks and distribution partners, showcased the tournament in more than 110 countries, including and spanning North America, the Caribbean, Africa, West Asia, Australia, New Zealand, Europe, Greece, Cyprus, Mauritius, South Asia, the Indian subcontinent, North Asia – and China for the first time.

Have news to share? Write to us atnewsteam@afaqs.com