Sky renews long-term Cricket partnership with ESPN, secures World Test Championship rights

This article was last updated on April 16, 2022

Canada: Oye! Times readers Get FREE $30 to spend on Amazon, Walmart…
USA: Oye! Times readers Get FREE $30 to spend on Amazon, Walmart…

Sky renews long-term Cricket partnership with ESPN, secures World Test Championship rights

Customers get access to new services via ESPN app or website

Sky Sport will air the inaugural WTC

New Zealand pay-TV network Sky Sport has renewed its partnership with global sports broadcaster ESPN, locking in a multi-year, multi-platform rights deal.

Under the terms of the deal, Sky will continue to deliver its customers two ESPN channels on Sky Sport and streamed on Sky Sport Now and Sky Go.

The agreement also gives Sky and Sky Sport Now customers access to a range of video on-demand content from ESPNews, ESPNU, ACC Network and SEC Network as well as the Watch ESPN app, for the first time

Sky New Zealand names Sophie Moloney as new CEO, plus more

“We are excited to build on our partnership with ESPN, meaning we continue to entertain our customers with some of the best and most inspiring global sport from one of the world’s biggest brands,” SkyNZ CEO, Sophie Moloney said. “We know from our customer research and viewership data that ESPN is a well-loved part of Sky’s sport offering, and we are pleased to secure these rights for our customers, she added.

ESPN Australia New Zealand general manager, Haydn Arndt, said: “Sky customers will enjoy an increased slate of ESPN programming, with our award winning '30 For 30' series, and flagship studio programming, complementing our package of premier live sport,”

Sky also announced it has won the broadcasting rights for the World Test Championship (WTC), final between New Zealand and India at Southampton’s Rose Bowl on June 18-22.

New Zealand-based subscription streaming service Spark Sport won the rights to broadcast New Zealand cricket for six years, starting last November, and has the two tests between New Zealand and England.

However, SkyNZ will air the inaugural WTC on Sky Sport after securing the rights, the broadcaster said.

“To be able to share this landmark test with New Zealand is a huge honour for the Sky team, and we’re pulling out all the stops to make the most of this opportunity,” Sky TV said in a press release.

“Our thanks go to the ICC for continuing our long-standing relationship, to our sport content and partnerships team and to our customers – who we know will be delighted they can watch their Black Caps heroes go all out for victory.”