ESS Secures Champions League Twenty20

SINGAPORE, September 11:
ESPN STAR Sports (ESS) has been awarded the global commercial rights to
cricket’s Champions League Twenty20 across a variety of platforms until 2017.

The deal includes the
rights for all matches in the inaugural Champions League Twenty20 season, held
from December 3 to 10, and for all upcoming seasons until 2017. The agreement
covers television, Internet, mobile and radio, as well as events sponsorship,
ground rights and merchandising.

The Champions League
Twenty20 consists of eight teams that are the reigning winners and runners-up
from the domestic Twenty20 competitions in India, Australia and South Africa,
plus the winners of 2008 Twenty20 championships, held in October, from
Pakistan, and the reigning Twenty20 Cup champion from England, Middlesex.

Manu Sawhney, the managing
director of ESS, said: “We're
extremely pleased at having won the global commercial rights to the new and
exciting Champions League Twenty20. This is a testament to our commitment to
the game of cricket and fans as we cement our relationship with the BCCI,
Cricket Australia and Cricket South Africa.

“With
the phenomenal success that we have had with inaugural ICC Twenty20 World Cup
last year, we are confident that we will be able to take this exciting
Champions League Twenty20 to new heights as well. This world-class event will
reiterate ESS’ position as the number one choice for cricket fans in Asia for
years to come.”

He continued: “Through our
television channels—ESPN, STAR Sports and STAR Cricket—our website,
espnstar.com, and our wireless platforms mobileESPN and STAR Sports Mobile, we
are confident of taking the Champions League Twenty20 to new heights by working
along with the various partners involved and are committed to set new
benchmarks in the broadcast and distribution, such that fans of this crowd-pulling
format can look forward to an exciting time when the league begins this
December.”

—By Kristin
Brzoznowski