ST JOHN’S, Antigua — Cricket West Indies (CWI) has finalized a groundbreaking new five-year deal with ESPN+ for the exclusive media and digital rights in the United States to all West Indies international home matches and regional tournaments.

CWI President Ricky Skerritt said: “This is CWI’s largest-ever media rights agreement in the USA and is the first of several new multi-year agreements which we will confirm in the coming weeks. Broadcast media rights income is crucial to the future financial sustainability of CWI, and this five-year rights agreement is just the start of good things to come.”

CWI’s media partnership with ESPN, North America’s largest sports broadcaster, will bring West Indies cricket to millions of households and viewers across the United States through the ESPN+ sports streaming service.

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So I guess this leaves Willow out in the cold.

In reply to CaribbeanCricket.com

The salient Question is this :

IS THIS GOING TO IMPROVE THE

STRUCTURE OF THE WICBC/CWI AND

THE COMPETITIVENESS OF OUR PLAYERS

IN INTERNATIONAL CRICKET ???????

I seriously doubt that is going to
happen . If Cricket in the Region is
to improve .

THERE MUST BE A TOTAL RESTRUCTURING

OF CRICKET IN THE REGION .

Unless that is done , The People in
the WICBC/CWI will be akin to trying
to Spin a Top in Mud .

In reply to TyTy35

And I just canceled my ESPN+ subscription last night!

WTF! I have to renew..

In reply to Khaga

You would pay to watch these guys ?

In reply to djdrastic

My love for Mindies cricket..

In reply to POINT

NO.....Before india's economy liberalized in the early 90s, the WI was the beneficiary of a broadcasts deal with a then media giant: Trans World International. And we were the #1 team when that broadcasts deal was made in 1990(first series broadcasts worldwide was WI vs England of that year. The first time in history live coverage from the WI was broadcasts all over the world. And by 1998, we had payment disagreements with the players. Then again, we had an oaf of unsurpassed stupidity as Pat Rosseau proved himself to be. So may be this time it might be different. Skerrit is a reasonable man

What the new contract means is that fans will now have to open a ESPN+ subscription to see WI cricket, good business deal for the ESPN and more funds for the CWI, but the fans will be paying more to follow WI cricket. Hopefully the CWI put the money to good use, more investment should be made in grassroot cricket.

In reply to CaribbeanCricket.com


I love seeing numbers! Where is the steak?

In reply to TyTy35

Well Willow will be bidding for the away series

In reply to dayne

But that's the case with Willow, persons pay for it. Streaming is who's making money
See NBCsports say they are shutting down at the end of the year, that's because they weren't able to monetize their biggest earner EPL football.
So I do expect persons in the US to pay for this plus some of it is already included in some persons tv packages so guess it works out well.

In reply to positiveg

ESPN+ is not part of standard cable TV package AFAIK. I think it is by subscription only!

In reply to positiveg

Willow was already positioning itself to focus on the Asian cricket teams, so maybe this isn’t such a major loss for them. But for Willow to miss out on a Indian tour to the Caribbean would be sticky.

In reply to TyTy35

Maybe not. Willow can buy from ESPN+

In reply to POINT

In reply to djdrastic

ESPN plus has soccer matches all over the globe as well, boxing for those who love legal violence . and much more for the $84 annual fee.

In reply to positiveg

They did so with Peacock

I have an ESPN+ subscription so this is good news.

In reply to imusic

Look , The Glory Days of West Indies
Cricket were due to the following freaking Facts .

It is tiresome for me to perpetually
reminding People in this Forum the
salient factors that made Our Players
dominant in International Cricket .

1. WHEN NOT REPRESENTING THE REGION

MOST OF OUR GREAT PLAYERS WERE

PLAYING IN ENGLAND , WHICH

GEOGRAPHICALLY IS THE NEAREST CRICKET

PLAYING COUNTRY TO THE REGION .


2. THERE MANY MATCHES WERE PLAYED

BETWEEN THE TEST MATCHES . OBVIOUSLY

OUR PLAYERS GOT ACCLIMATIZED TO THE

PITCHES & THE WEATHER .


3.THESE MANY MATCHES MADE OUR PLAYERS

SUPREMELY FIT ; AND THEIR

CONCENTRATION OPERATING AT A VERY

HIGH LEVEL.

Let me once again state another freaking Fact . Chicanery is also played in the ICC and in most Cricket Playing Countries .

OUT OF THE BLUE , THE ICC DECIDED TO

CURTAIL THE MANY MATCHES THAT WERE

PLAYED BETWEEN THE VARIOUS CRICKET

PLAYING COUNTRIES .

In reply to POINT

In reply to imusic

EMGLAND DECIDED TO LIMIT THE NUMBER

OF OVERSEAS PLAYERS PLAYING CRICKET IN

ENGLAND .


QUITE FRANKLY THE PEOPLE IN WICBC/CWI

FAILED TO REALIZE ALL THE FACTORS I

HAVE STATED ABOVE .

This in my opinion makes the WICBC/CWI Totally unfit to be in the
governance of West Indies Cricket .
As I stated , when England decided to
limit the number of Overseas Players
playing Cricket in England , The
WICBC/CWI at that juncture could have
formed a Regional Cricket League .

HISTORY INFORMS US THAT THEY DID

NOTHING AT THAT JUNCTURE .

Years later it finally dawned on the
WICBC/CWI that it should have a Regional Cricket League . To use a
nautical phrase , " The Boat had already sailed " .

The ICC , is an entity steeped in intrigue . If you have an doubt regarding what I have stated . Find out which International Cricket was
dominating International Cricket ,
when the many matches that were played between the Test Matches was stopped .

Find out who had the fastest Bowlers
in the World when it was decided that
pace Bowlers were only allowed to bowl 1 Bouncer per Over .

When England decided to limit Overseas Players from Playing Cricket
in England , that was aimed mainly
at Our Players . That was a clever
calculated ploy to erase the competitiveness of Our Players in the
International Cricket Arena .

Now if You don't believe me , comparatively recently , The 4 best
Cricket playing Countries decided that THEY should get the Lions Share
of the ICC Money . They were shamed into rescind that Idea.

CRICKET AINT ONLY PLAYED ON THE FIELD

IT IS ALSO PLAYED IN THE ICC .

In reply to imusic

The Stark Freaking Fact is that For
many . many, years those in the Governance of West Indies Cricket have
tangibly displayed that their modus
operandi of:

THEY ARE THE MASTERS AND OUR PLAYERS

THEIR SERVANTS HAS TO FREAKING END

IF THE GOAL IS TO MAKE OUR PLAYERS

THE BEST IN THE WORLD .

This freaking attitude has to Stop.

THE FACT IS THAT THOSE IN THE

GOVERNANCE OF WEST INDIES CRICKET ARE

IMBUED WITH AN ASSININE ATTITUDE THAT

THEY ARE THE MASTERS AND OUR PLAYERS

THEIR SERFS .

Unless there is a genuine friendly
Relationship between those in the
Governance of West Indies Cricket and
Our Players :

WE WILL PERPETUALLY BE AT THE BOTTOM

OF INTERNATIONAL CRICKET . THIS B.S

HAS BEEN GOING ON UNABATED FOR

DECADES .

This like it or not is the main obstacle in West Indies Cricket .

The People in the WICBC/CWI Relish
living in the Past . This is a Classic case of:

" MONKEY SEE MONKEY DO "

It is true that most of those in the
governance of West Indies Cricket , are of a different pigmentation , than those who founded the WICBC .

HOWEVER THEY RELISH BEHAVING LIKE

THOSE WHO FORMED THE WICBC/CWI .

The end result is that there is a
perpetual friction between those in
the governance of West Indies Cricket
and Our Players .

This B.S. Needs to stop . WE aint going to get anywhere , when there is
a lack of harmony between those in
the governance of West Indies Cricket
and Our Players .

This is pricesly why in my opinion :

PLAYERS MUST BE ON ALL CRICKET BOARDS

IN THE REGION . SO THAT THIS RIFT CAN

BE TOTALLY HEALED .

The salient Question is this :

HOW MUCH OF THE MONEY THAT THE WICBC/

CWI IS GOING TO GET; WILL BE SPENT ON

MAKING OUR PLAYERS COMPETITIVE IN THE

INTERNATIONAL CRICKET ARENA ?????????

My take is that the WICBC/CWI in its current capacity as Governance of
West Indies Cricket , aint likely to
put most of the money they are going to get towards the improvement of
West Indies Cricket .

That is precisely why in my opinion :

THE WICBC/CWI MUST BE A PUBLIC ENTITY

SO THAT THE GENERAL PUBLIC CAN KNOW

HOW THE MONEY IT GETS IS SPENT .

Obviously , if that happens , the WICBC can not only get Taxpayers money ; The General Public can see how their money is Spent .

BTW THE WICBC / CWI HAS ONLY ONE

FREAKING STADIUM IN THE REGION AND

THAT IS THE STADIUM IN ANTIGUA .

The gist of what I am stating is that
using Public Stadia in the Region must come at a Cost , and that cost is devulging a Public annual Financial Statement .

" THERE AINT SUCH THING

AS A FREE LUNCH ".

In this Forum I have perpetually stated that the Governments in the
Region , apart from loaning Stadia ,
must have representation in the WICBC/ CWI .

I do believe that the WICBC/CWI should get Taxpayers Money , but that
must come at a cost , which is Public Financial Statements .

In reply to CaribbeanCricket.com
I guess the West Indies knows that the bulk of cricket watchers are on Willow. So, they opt to go where they will have a smaller audience. Can't blame them. The worse you perform, the fewer people you want to see you.
Well, I'll be watching my cricket on Willow. I won't be missing anything on ESPN, it's only the West Indies. Can't waste time and money watching them.

In reply to Khaga
Waste of good money.

In reply to rhatid

You hink your one subscription will dent the 5 year contract. Hope don't see you on here asking for a live link when the games playing. Same ball different bowler

In reply to CaribbeanCricket.com

Will the games be streamed or on TV. To my knowledge, ESPN+ is a streaming service...

In reply to openning

You failed to realize that in the Glory
Days of West Indies Cricket most of Our
Players played Cricket in England .

You also failed to recognize the fact that
the many matches that were played between the Test Matches , ensured that
Our Players were extremely Fit , their
Concentration superb ; and they got acclimatized to both the Pitches , and
the Weather .

Now the above are not Fictions of my Imagination ; They are freaking facts.

When the ICC decided to stop the many matches played between the Test Matches . What did the WICBC/CWI do
to ensure that Our Players skills were enhanced , supremely fit Physically , and Mentally ????????

In my opinion those in the governance
of West Indies Cricket metaphorically
were asleep ; THEY DID NOTHING !!!!!

A few years ago , it dawned on the
WICBC/CWI have a Regional Cricket League . This was some years after
England decided to limit Our Players
playing Cricket in England .

I deal in Facts not Fiction , You and
others who think like You cannot factually refute what I state in this
Forum .

WE ARE WHERE WE ARE BECAUSE OF THE

TOTAL INCOMPETENCE OF THOSE IN THE

WICBC/CWI . NOW THIS IS A FACT NOT

FICTION .

Their attitude towards Our Players is
also a freaking Factor regarding our
Standing in International Cricket .

How many years passed before it dawned on the WICBC/CWI to have a Regional Cricket League when England decided to ban Overseas Players ????

Most if not all of the Overseas Players who played Cricket in England
were from the West Indies .

Unfortunately at that juncture , the
people in the WICBC/CWI were to Dumb
to understand the Impact ,that would
have on the competitiveness of Our
Players in the International Cricket Arena .

Yes I am fully aware of the fact that
eventually it dawned on the WICBC/CWI
that it needed to have a Regional Cricket League . But to use a nautical phrase :

" The Boat had already sailed ". Let me again state some undisputable Facts ; Cricket aint only played on
Cricket Fields , it is also played by decisions the ICC Makes , and Individual Countries make .

In reply to openning

Do You believe that the many matches
that were played between the Test Matches were not financiall profitable?

When England decided to limit the number of Overseas Players playing
Cricket in England ; did that affect
Players from , India ; Pakistan , New
Zealand ; Australia ???????????

It is crystal clear to me that Cricket is also played off the Field . Recently the 4 top Cricket Countries , decided that THEY should
get most of the ICC Money .

Who had the fastest Bowlers in the
World , when it was decided that pace
Bowlers can only bowl 1 bouncer per over .

Recently the 4 top teams decided that
they must get most of the ICC Money ,
this blatant scheme was rescinded when the Public became aware of this
heist .

What I have stated above are freaking
Facts not fiction , or a figment of my Imagination . Cricket aint only played on the Cricket Fields .

In reply to Cricket_101

on ESPN if you're in the Caribbean.
guess on internet device in North America

In reply to openning

At that juncture YES !!!!!

If You carefully read what I have repeatedly stated in this Forum are
freaking FACTS , not Figments of my
Imagination .

Let Me break it down for You in another way :

WHEN IT WAS DECIDED NOT TO HAVE

MATCHES PLAYED BETWEEN THE TEST

MATCHES ; WAS THERE A REGIONAL

CRICKET TOURNAMENT ??????????

Please note that when I state Regional Tournament , I am including
the Leeward & Windward Islands .

WHEN ENGLAND DECIDED TO LIMIT THE

NUMBER OF OVERSEAS PLAYERS PLAYING

CRICKET IN ENGLAND , IT WAS ONLY THE

PLAYERS FROM THE WEST INDIES THAT

WERE AFFECTED. DUE TO THE FACT THAT

GEOGRAPHICALLY , OUR REGION WAS

CLOSER TO ENGLAND ; THAN INDIA ;

PAKISTAN ; AUSTRALIA ; NEW ZEALAND &

SOUTH AFRICA .

Obviously then that decision hurt our
Players competitiveness in International Cricket . Now that aint
Rocket Science .

Worse yet , the WICBC/CWI did nothing at that juncture to aid the competitiveness of Our Players in the
International Cricket Arena .

Now the above are freaking Facts not Fiction . Years went by before the
Dim Wits in the WICBC/CWI decided to
have a Regional Cricket Tournament .
This is an undisputable Fact , Not Fiction .

In reply to positiveg

Ok, thanks for the information... just hope windies didn’t severed ties with Willow.