ESPN STAR Sports, India’s leading sports broadcaster, announced today the acquisition of exclusive telecast rights for all international cricket out of Pakistan till the year 2002. With the signing up of this contract, all test and one-day international matches from Pakistan, including the proposed India tour beginning in January 2001, will be brought to viewers across the sub-continent.
ESPN STAR Sports has already acquired telecast rights of all international cricket from six countries namely Australia, South Africa, England, West Indies, New Zealand and Zimbabwe till the 2003-2004 season. The acquisition of Pakistan cricket rights firmly establishes ESS as the leading sports broadcaster in India with unrivalled cricket coverage from seven out of nine test-playing nations around the world.
The cricket season begins in Pakistan with the Sri Lanka tour in February 2000. Sri Lanka will play 3 test matches and 3 ODI starting February 13. The addition of Pakistan cricket rights means that Indian viewers will be able to enjoy an additional 90 days of international cricket out of Pakistan till October 2002 exclusively on ESPN and STAR Sports.
Mr. Russell Wolff, Senior Vice President of ESPN STAR Sports said, ‘The Pakistan cricket contract further demonstrates our commitment to cricket which remains unrivalled in the Indian subcontinent. We look forward to working with the Pakistan Cricket Board and TWI to bring the best of international cricket LIVE to Indian viewers.’
The following are details of the comprehensive cricket coverage from Pakistan till October 2002:
Pakistan International Cricket :
Sri Lanka Tour – Feb-Mar 2000 – 3 TMs, 3 ODIs
England Tour – Oct-Nov 2000 – 3 TMs, 3 ODIs
India Tour – Jan-Feb 2001 – 3 TMs, 3 OIDs
New Zealand Tour – Oct-Nov 2001 – 3 TMs, 3 ODIs
Australia Tour – Sep-Oct 2002 – 3 TMs, 3 ODIs
ESPN STAR Sports has launched a major initiative entitled ‘Cricket Mania 2000′. The initiative accurately captures the network’s commitment to bring the best of top quality international cricket to the consumers in the millennium year. The following are the details of ESPN STAR Sports’ upcoming cricket coverage on ESPN and STAR Sports throughout the year 2000 as part of ‘Cricket Mania 2000’.
India-Pakistan-Australia Triangular Series: Jan-Feb – 15 ODIs
South Africa-England-Zimbabwe Triangular Series: Jan-Feb – 10 ODIs
England tour of Zimbabwe: Feb – 4 ODIs
Sri Lanka tour of Pakistan: Feb-Mar – 3 TMS, 3 ODIs
Australia tour of New Zealand: Feb-Mar – 3 TMs, 5 ODIs
Pakistan & Zimbabwe tour of West Indies: Mar-May – 5 TMs, 9 ODIs
Asia Cup cricket from Dhaka: May-Jun – 7 ODIs
West Indies and Zimbabwe tour of England: May-Aug – 7 TMs, 10 ODIs
India Vs Pakistan Sahara Cup: Sep – 5 ODIs
New Zealand tour of Zimbabwe: Oct – 2 TMs, 3 ODIs
England tour of Pakistan: Oct-Nov – 3 TMs, 3 ODIs
Pakistan and New Zealand tour of South Africa: Nov – 3 TMs, 10 ODIs
West Indies and Zimbabwe tour of Australia: Nov-Dec – 5 TMs, 15/18 ODIs
Sri Lanka tour of New Zealand: Dec-Jan – 2 TMS, 4 ODIs
ESPN STAR Sports is a 50:50 joint venture between two of the world’s leading cable and satellite broadcasters, ESPN Inc. and STAR TV. We are Asia’s leading sports broadcaster that reaches over 46 million households for ESPN and 46 million households for STAR Sports (as at Sept, 1999). Our networks bring the world’s premier live sports and leading regional events to viewers 24 hours a day. The ESPN STAR Sports Event Management Group, formerly Sports Corporation, stages, manages and promotes sporting events around Asia.
For further information, please contact: Jessica Lee at (65)-4886132 or e-mail: leej@espnstar.com