ENGLAND NEWS

ECB starts process for new broadcast deal

by Rob Johnston • Last updated on

ECB are reportedly hoping to gain up to GBP 250 million per year from a new deal. © Getty

The England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) has started its formal Media Rights Sale Process for international and domestic cricket for the five-year period from 2020 to 2024, it was announced on Friday (May 12).

The current broadcasting deal with Sky Sports runs out at the end of 2019 and is worth GBP 75 million per year to the ECB. The governing body believes they can get a significant increase on that amount in any new agreement now that BT Sport have challenged Sky's previous hegemony. Reports have suggested the ECB hope to gain up to GBP 250 million per year from a new deal.

An Invitation to Tender document has been distributed, offering media rights for all matches played under the auspices of ECB. This includes all of England's international matches for both men's and women's teams as well as domestic county cricket, the women's domestic T20 competition, currently the Women's Super League, and the new eight-team regional T20 tournament proposed to begin in 2020.

As part of the proposals for that new T20 competition, an element of free-to-air broadcasting has been promised. So, it is likely that any new broadcasting deal will involve a number of organisations including subscription and free-to-air companies. It is understood that Sky Sports and BT Sport will compete for the main contract, likely to include England games, while the BBC may bid for the free-to-air part of the new T20 competition.

While the traditional medium of TV will be catered for, so too will online platforms. After the success of uploading short clips on various online channels in recent times - younger generations tend to view most of their media online - the ECB appreciate the importance of including social media platforms such as Twitter and YouTube in the deal. An ECB statement issued on Friday stated: "The [tendering] process offers opportunities for all broadcasters, platforms and distributors, to bid for live cricket, highlights and clips, for audio-visual, audio and digital use."

Once submissions have been made, a panel, including the Chairman and CEO of ECB, will assess all bids with a decision expected this summer. As part of the new T20 tournament, the 18 first-class counties have been promised an annual payment of GBP 1.3 million as their share of the proceeds, alongside the other running costs, which means the ECB need to get as much out of the broadcasting deal as they can.

The ECB are confident they have a strong hand. Chief Executive Tom Harrison said: "This is a very important process and the outcome will be hugely significant for cricket in England and Wales. The game is in good shape, with inspiring international teams, strong County competitions, a recreational game that's adapting to modern lifestyles and a new participation drive for a younger audience.

"Our partners for the next rights period will help us build on these very strong foundations and develop an even brighter future. They will understand our strategy, see the opportunities and share our ambitions for growth.

"Through this process, we are looking to secure the right balance of reach, revenue and exposure to drive the game for the next decade. To achieve that, we're offering a wide range of opportunities, within a competitive process that will meet the highest standards.

"Our competitions are attractive, the bidding criteria clear and we have a planned and proper approach to make the right decisions for the long-term growth and vitality of the game. We're excited to see how potential partners look at the opportunities to be involved in the future growth of the game in England and Wales."

© Cricbuzz

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