ESPN Inks Caribbean Deal for Cricket Tournament

SINGAPORE: ESPN has reached a deal with ESPN STAR Sports that brings the Airtel Champions League T20 Cricket (ACLT20) tournament, taking place in South Africa next month, to its Caribbean feed.

The three-year deal covers the exclusive Caribbean television, internet and mobile rights to the tournament, which kicks off September 10. All 23 matches will air on the ESPN and ESPN2 Caribbean networks.

Manu Sawhney, the managing director of ESPN STAR Sports, said: “We are very pleased to bring the exciting world-class T20 cricket action to the Caribbean with ESPN. ACLT20 marks the grand finale of the T20 cricket where T20 champion teams from various countries across the world battle for the ultimate honor—to be adjudged as the Champion of Champions. And we are committed to showcase this marquee property to cricket fans across the globe and along with our partners this year’s edition will be shown in more than 180 territories across the globe.”

“The Champions League T20 is one of the world’s most respected and anticipated cricket events,” added Bernard Stewart, VP of ESPN Caribbean and Maritime Media. “After ESPN’s successful live presentation of the Caribbean T20 in July, we are delighted to again showcase Guyana and its captain Ramnaresh Sarwan, as well as other talented cricketers from the West Indies who will play in the Champions League T20 matches. We are continuing our efforts to establish ESPN as a presenter of top-level cricket programming in the region.”