BT Sport has secured exclusive rights to the England men’s and women’s cricket tours of the West Indies and New Zealand.
It’s a blow to Sky Sports, which has previously held the rights to matches from the two countries, starting with the 1990 tour of the West Indies, the first overseas tours to be screened live in the UK.
The West Indies tour is particularly attractive to UK broadcasters and the five-hour time difference lands coverage in prime time.
BT will show all men’s and women’s domestic and international cricket in West Indies and New Zealand across a multi-year agreement.
The deal includes multiple England tours, starting this year with the women’s visit to New Zealand, as well as the New Zealand men’s series against Australia in February and March and Bangladesh men’s visit in March.
BT Sport has already begun broadcasting cricket from New Zealand, including the recent Test series victory over Pakistan. England will tour the West Indies next year.
BT Sport’s rights with Cricket West Indies extend to all men’s and women’s domestic and international cricket in the Caribbean.
BT already has an agreement with Cricket Australia for coverage of the Australian team including The Ashes.
Its thought neither BT or Sky bid for rights for the current tour of India, which were picked up by the terrestrial broadcaster Channel 4.
