DISH Bolsters Cricket Lineup

ENGLEWOOD: DISH Network has inked a four-year deal to serve as the exclusive U.S. home for the Indian Premier League (IPL) cricket tournament, and has added the NEO Cricket and TEN Cricket networks to its lineup.

DISH Network will air all 74 IPL tournament matches live this year on pay-per view, including exclusive TV coverage of the playoffs and finals in high definition. NEO Cricket offers full coverage of the Board of Cricket Control India (BCCI) matches, Indian domestic cricket and the Asia Cup. TEN Cricket is the owner of four cricket boards, including Pakistan, Sri Lanka, the West Indies and Zimbabwe. These two channels, together with Willow Cricket—owner of four boards including Australia, England, New Zealand and South Africa—will be available in the new Cricket Pack for $20 per month beginning today.

"DISH Network’s carriage of the IPL and the launch of our Cricket Pack will offer our customers an anticipated 300 or more days of live cricket over the next year," said Chris Kuelling, VP of international programming for DISH Network. "Nowhere else can customers access more than 75 South Asian channels, watch every heart-stopping play in the IPL, and get year round coverage of their favorite cricket teams."