Reports: SKY Sports in line to retain ECB broadcast rights till 2034

Leading broadcaster Sky Sports is all set to retain the broadcasting rights of the entire English summer and key overseas international till 2034.

According to reports in the English media, the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) is in advanced negotiations with broadcasters Sky Sports.

The current deal, which the leading sports network in the United Kingdom grabbed for a sum of 220 million pounds, is set to expire in 2024.

The multi-year deal will see Sky Sports broadcast the entire English summer, including international matches, the County Championship and 'The Hundred'.

The reports add that while the new deal will not be worth significantly more than the one signed in 2017, it is likely to be a significant boost for Sky, whose major revenue comes from England games.

According to Times, Sky will continue to share the broadcasting rights of some matches with the state-owned BBC.

The current arrangement involves the BBC having access to four Twenty20 International matches (two apiece for men and women) and ten matches from ECB's brainchild 'The Hundred'.

The ECB is also in talks with the County Chiefs to entice the 18 counties to hand over the broadcasting and media rights to SKY. Normally, the counties hold the rights to anything broadcasted from their ground. However, they are reportedly keen to retain the ability to sign deals with other streaming outlets like Facebook, etc.

According to the same report, ECB chief Tom Harrison is likely to leave his post in a few months, and he believes that the new broadcast deal will pave the way for the organisation's long-term stability.

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