BSkyB renews domestic cricket deal

UK pay-television operator BSkyB renewed its rights deal with the England and Wales Cricket Board for home international and domestic cricket for four-and-a-half years, from 2014 to the summer of 2017.

Cricket news website Cricinfo reports that Sky was the only serious bidder for the rights. Sky’s current four-year deal, worth £260 million ($437 million), expires at the end of 2013.

The new deal includes live coverage of England’s home Test matches, one-day internationals, Twenty 20 matches, and a minimum of 60 days of domestic cricket per summer. During the contract period, the England Test side will face home clashes against India in 2014, Australia in 2015, Pakistan in 2016 and South Africa in 2017. Also included in the agreement are selected matches featuring secondary national team the England Lions and the England women’s team.

Sky has the option to extend the deal by a further two years, which would include tours by India in 2018, and Australia in 2019.

The deal includes mobile and internet rights.