Sky Sports Extends Broadcast Deals with Six Different Sports
January 30, 2014
Sky Sports have announced today new long-term contracts with six current sports properties.
The six different sports includes the British & Irish Lions, Super League rugby, England overseas cricket, Scottish football, speedway and sports entertainment leader, WWE.
The deals further strengthen the unrivalled breadth and quality of coverage on Sky Sports and come on the back of strong growth in audiences.
In the last six months of 2013, Sky Sports enjoyed its highest share of viewing for six years, including increased audiences for live Premier League football and its biggest-ever audience for rugby union.
For Lions Rugby Sky Sports will provide live coverage of the 2017 British & Irish Lions Tour to New Zealand, including every Test match against the All Blacks. With Super League they have signed a five-year deal from 2017 to air Leage matches until at least 2021.
The deal with England cricket encompasses the New Zealand tour including two England winter tours in 2018 and 2020. Scottish Football will again be seen on Sky Sports with a new four-year deal inked with the Scottish FA beginning next season for the Scottish Cup, international friendlies and Scottish FA Youth Cup.
There were also deals for Speedway with the Elite League being showcased and WWE with a new ive-year deal from 2015 offering over 600 hours of content a year from the worldwide leader in sports entertainment including weekly programming and 12 special PPV events a year.
The new agreements add to an outstanding line-up of live sport on Sky Sports, with highlights in 2014 to include every match in the ICC World Twenty20, the launch of live coverage of Euro 2016 qualifiers and the Ryder Cup from Gleneagles.
Barney Francis, managing director of Sky Sports, said: “Sky Sports had an excellent year in 2013 and we’re looking forward to an outstanding line-up for our customers in 2014.
“These agreements secure even more fantastic live sport for our audience, offering them unrivalled breadth and quality for years to come.”