Pan-Asian sports broadcaster ESPN Star Sports has agreed a multi-year rights deal for new Twenty20 cricket competition the Sri Lanka Premier League.
The agreement begins with the inaugural season of the SLPL, which will run from August 11 to 31. ESS will show a minimum of 24 matches per season.
The Star Cricket, Star Sports and ESPN channels will broadcast all the matches exclusively live in India. The deal also includes live coverage of the SLPL in its host nation, and the territories of Bangladesh, Bhutan, Cambodia, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Korea, Nepal, Macau, Malaysia, Maldives, Pakistan, Papua New Guinea, Philippines, Singapore and Thailand.
Peter Hutton, managing director of ESPN Star Sports, said: “(The SLPL) is an excellent addition to Star Cricket’s remarkable catalogue of content in the next year, headlined by India’s home series against Pakistan, England and New Zealand, the ICC World T20, the Champions League T20 and the ICC Champions Trophy.”
He added: “Sri Lanka Cricket becomes the sixth cricket body with whom we are working on the shortest form of the game. Our coverage of Australia’s Big Bash and the T20 leagues in England and Bangladesh have already shown our commitment to the format, and we look to further growing our live cricket content.”