Premier League finds new home in the Caribbean

Multinational telecommunications company Cable & Wireless Communications has agreed a three-season deal for the exclusive rights in the Caribbean to football’s English Premier League.

CWC’s deal with the Premier League runs from 2016-17 to 2018-19 and covers 32 Caribbean countries. International Media Content, the owner of pay-television broadcaster SportsMax, has been the league’s long-term rights-holder in the region, with its current contract running from 2013-14 to 2015-16.

Commencing in August 2016, the Premier League will be available on the Caribbean’s newest sports network, Flow Sports, which is set to launch in November. CWC has also been awarded the mobile clip rights to the top division of English club football.

John Reid, president of CWC’s consumer division, said: “As the most popular league of the world’s greatest sport, the Premier League will be at the heart of Flow Sports, the region’s newest and largest sports network. We are excited as well to bring additional jobs, skills and investment into the Caribbean with our new Trinidad facility, truly showcasing the power of the new Cable & Wireless and our commitment to the region.”

Phil Bentley, chief executive of Cable & Wireless Communications, added: “Following our merger with Columbus and our re-branding to Flow, the agreement with the Premier League is yet another example of the growing momentum building across the Caribbean, delivering significant additional revenue synergies through cross-selling and upselling, as well as improving customer loyalty.  This is set to accelerate over the next few years.”