Sports broadcasting heavyweight ESPN has renewed its rights deal with the International Cricket Council (ICC) governing body covering both men’s and women’s major events.
The deal covers all major men’s events through the end of 2031 (12), and the four major ICC women’s events through 2027, in 51 territories across the Caribbean and Latin America. In addition, it extends to four men’s and two women’s under-19 events (also following the cycles listed above).
The deal comes with the first major event in the new cycle - the 2024 ICC Men's T20 World Cup - set to take place in the Caribbean and US in June. Out of the 55 total games, six Caribbean venues will play host to 39 between them. The West Indies have qualified as hosts for that tournament.
In 33 Caribbean territories, coverage will be available on the ESPN Caribbean and ESPN2 Caribbean linear channels, as well as on the ESPN Play Caribbean streaming service. In Latin America, meanwhile, 18 countries will have access to major event games through the Star+ streaming platform run by ESPN and owner Disney.
The original deal between ESPN and the ICC in these regions dates back to 2012 (with the broadcaster having shown last year's ICC Men's Cricket World Cup in both markets), while the initial tender for Caribbean rights to ICC action, before Latin America was added in, started in late 2022.
This tie-up comes with the ICC close to concluding its media rights sales process for its next commercial cycle in cricket's various key markets.
Deals in the UK (Sky), the US (Willow TV), India (Star Sports), Australia, the Middle East and North Africa, and sub-Saharan Africa (SuperSport), have all been unveiled, with now only New Zealand and the rest of South Asia (Pakistan, Bangladesh, and Sri Lanka) remaining as the outliers where a tie-up has not yet been announced.
The most recent deal was signed off with Evision in MENA, while the tender process in Bangladesh, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka began in early February.
Late February, meanwhile, saw the governing body begin the process of selecting a social media partner for the 2024-27 commercial cycle.
Geoff Allardice, chief executive of the ICC, has said: “We are thrilled to be extending our partnership with ESPN and taking ICC events to across 51 territories in the Caribbean and Latin America. We have a very exciting year coming up with the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2024 hosted in the West Indies and the US and have a huge opportunity to entertain and inspire a new generation of fans in the region.”
Aside from ICC events, ESPN also covers action from multiple Twenty20 franchise competitions in the Caribbean, while its US networks cover home games played by the West Indies.
Read the thoughts of ICC broadcast rights director, Sunil Manoharan, on the rights sales process and the evolving nature of the market.
