The rights for the maiden edition of the tournament have been awarded to BSkyB Limited & Independent Music Group Limited (Geo). BSkyB acquired the television broadcast rights exclusively in English language and Mobile and Internet for all languages, while the Independent Music Group Limited (Geo) has been awarded the television broadcast rights exclusively for all languages other than English.
ESPN STAR Sports and its affiliate have already secured global coverage for the tournament with over 110 countries slated to showcase the inaugural edition of ICC World Twenty20 spanning North America, Caribbean, Africa, Middle East, Australia, New Zealand, Greece, Cyprus, Mauritius, South Asia, North Asia - including China for the first time - and the Indian subcontinent.
“The ICC is extremely pleased to have a committed partner in ESPN STAR Sports, who has helped further extend the reach of this tournament by continually setting new standards in global distribution and coverage of cricket,” said ICC CEO Malcolm Speed.
“I’m confident that these broadcast partnerships will further grow the popularity of cricket in core cricket market like UK and the new emerging market like Ireland thus ensuring that our strong sport grows even stronger.”
Scheduled to take place in September 2007 in South Africa, the inaugural ICC World Twenty20 will be the first event to be broadcast by ESPN STAR Sports as a part of its eight-year agreement with ICC.
