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Cricket (Sport)

Sky's 10-Year Stranglehold on Cricket Coverage Ended by BT Sport

Strategic Insights

— 2 min read

The England and Wales Cricket Board has announced that it has signed a deal with BT Sport, a major rival to Sky, as its overseas broadcast partner for the 2017-18 Ashes series. This news marks the end of Sky's 10-year stranglehold on live cricket coverage in the UK, with BT Sport emerging as a credible broadcaster in the cricket market. The new deal with BT Sport confirms that the broadcaster will show England's attempts to defend the Ashes urn, marking the first time in 27 years that a Sky competitor will broadcast an England overseas trip live.

Key Takeaways:

  • BT Sport has won the rights to broadcast the 2017-18 Ashes series, marking its first foray into cricket broadcasting.
  • The new deal will give BT Sport its first foothold in cricket, with the Ashes series being the marquee event.
  • BT Sport has outbid Sky significantly to win the rights, with the exact bid figure not disclosed.
  • The England and Wales Cricket Board will be able to spread its rights across multiple broadcasters, strengthening its position in negotiations with counties.
  • Sky will retain rights to the next Australia series in England in 2019 and retains the 2019 World Cup rights, but will lose the broadcast rights for the 2017-18 Ashes series.
  • BT Sport will show all of Australia's home international cricket from next year.
  • Colin Graves, ECB chairman, and Tom Harrison, ECB chief executive, will be delighted to see BT Sport emerge as a credible cricket broadcaster.
  • The new deal will drive up the market for the next broadcast contract with the ECB, with the current agreement set to end in 2019.

Statistics:

  • 10 years: duration of Sky's stranglehold on live cricket coverage in the UK.
  • 27 years: duration since BC Sport (not BT Sport) has shown an England overseas trip live to British audiences.
  • 1990: year of the last England overseas trip broadcast live by BC Sport (not BT Sport).
  • 2012: year Sky signed its last deal with the ECB.
  • 2017-18: year of the Ashes series that will be broadcast by BT Sport.
  • 2019: year that will see the end of Sky's current deal with the ECB and the beginning of a new, more lucrative agreement.
  • 2019: year England will host Australia in a series that Sky retains the broadcast rights for.

Sources:

  • [1] Nick Hoult, "Sky's 10-year stranglehold of live cricket coverage in this country is over after losing out to BT Sport for the rights to screen the next Ashes series in 2017-18" (unspecified publication date)
  • [2] (BBC, unverified quote)

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