WICB confirms US$80M TV rights deal

The West Indies Cricket Board (WICB) has confirmed the completion of a major media rights deal to distribute television coverage to the Indian sub-continent and the U.K.

The deal gives Ten Sports and Sky Sports the rights to to distribute television coverage of all cricket played in the West Indies between 2008 and 2012. WICB spokesman Tony Deyal says the deal is valued at US$80 million over four years.

Ten Sports will show the events on their channels in the Indian sub-continent, the Middle East and South East Asia and will distribute the events worldwide.

Sky Sports has the rights for Ireland and the U.K.

The tours included in the agreement include visits by India in 2009 and 2012, by Pakistan in 2011, England's tour to the West Indies in 2009, Australia's tour in 2012 and South Africa's tour in 2010.

In total Ten Sports will broadcast 25 test matches, 50 one day games and nine 20-20 games between 2008 and 2012 (a total of 184 days), including the upcoming 2008 tour by Australia to the West Indies, which was part of a previous agreement between the parties.

The media rights cover:

Sri Lanka 2008 -- Two Tests, three One-Day Internationals.
Australia 2008 -- Three Tests, five One-Days, one Twenty20 match
England 2009 -- Four Tests, five One-Days, one Twenty20 match.
Bangladesh 2009 -- Two Tests, three One-Days and one Twenty20 match.
India 2009 -- Four One-Day internationals
Zimbabwe 2010 -- Five One-Day internationals.
South Africa 2010 -- Three Tests, five One-Days, two Twenty20 matches.
New Zealand 2011 -- Three Tests, five One-Days, one Twenty20 match.
Pakistan 2011 -- Two Tests, five One-Days, one Twenty20 match.
Australia 2012 -- Three Tests, five One-Days, one Twenty20 match.
India 2012 -- Three Tests, five One-Days, one Twenty20 match.