Further report that BT is actively seeking rights to the Pakistan - England, series in the UAE this winter, the rights for which currently remain unsold
Big Bash has always been on Sky. Interestingly, losing the Big Bash rights won't harm Sky too much, assuming the IPL is still around in some fashion in 2017, Sky should still show that. This year, the IPL and Big Bash overlapped.
Big Bash has always been on Sky. Interestingly, losing the Big Bash rights won't harm Sky too much, assuming the IPL is still around in some fashion in 2017, Sky should still show that. This year, the IPL and Big Bash overlapped.
I don't think so - the Big Bash is over Christmas and January and IPL in the Spring - think there was a World Cup in between that too.
Re IPL, Wouldn't surprise me to see that collapse in the next couple of years, accusations of 'malpractice' have resulted in all sorts of disciplinary sanctions, including team disqualification.
Does a channel that isn't on a PSB-lite mux count?
Doesn't matter, because overseas tests are not a listed event.
Absolutely! We will be in the odd position for 4 out of the 5 years of this contract that Australia's international matches will have highlights FTA, yet England's away tours will not (at least, if the status quo is followed).
It has been through goodwill of various broadcasters that each and every Ashes tour since 1994/5 has had FTA highlights, rather than any listing legislation. Having said that, Sky must have been under some sort of pressure from the ECB to put the last Ashes tour's highlights on Pick TV, as they had no real commercial justification for doing so. Unlike previous years where FTA broadcasters (C4, BBC and ITV for the previous three tours respectively) had purchased rights from Cricket Australia with agreement from Sky Sports.
That's a shame, because it makes The Ashes the exception rather than the rule when it comes to covering England Cricket. As it stands apart from a standout series, Cricket is still too balanced in Sky's favour.
I wonder if we'll get 'BT Sport Ashes' as a point proving exercise. I've got a feeling BT are probably targeting F1, it would be much more than tripping Sky of sports rights but a whole service.
They are however likely to be targeting the US Open tennis for next year and then maybe follow it up with the Australian Open for 2017, currently with Eurosport.