Sky Sports has confirmed a four year extension to its current broadcast rights deal. This is less than the ten year deal speculated on earlier this year, but will see more live cricket on Sky Sports and more matches on free-to-air TV.
The current agreement between Sky Sports and the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) started in 2020. The extension covers 2025 through until the end of 2028.
The new deal between Sky Sports and the ECB includes:
- 90 extra hours of live cricket each year
- More women’s cricket coverage than before
- Coverage of The Hundred extended until 2028
- Increased prominence for the Vitality Blast
- Continued investment in grassroots cricket, including through the Dynamos Cricket programme.
Free-to-air coverage
As part of the new deal, coverage of some events will be made available to a free-to-air broadcaster.
The BBC currently holds the rights for free-to-air coverage until the end of 2024. Free-to-air arrangements for 2025-28 are yet to be confirmed.
But whoever secures the free-to-air rights will be able to screen a minimum of eight The Hundred women’s matches per season, up from the current minimum of two matches.
With regards the Vitality Blast T20 tournament, there is also a new clause in the TV rights deal that will allow counties to stream every group game on their own platforms and a brand new weekly highlights show to be shown on free-to-air TV.