View Full Version : ESPN-Star win massive ICC rights
OldFanatic
10 Dec 2006, 03:53 AM
http://content-usa.cricinfo.com/ci/content/current/story/271994.html
ESPN-Star partnership has thrown its weight around, paying an incredible $1.1 billion for ICC TV rights, which includes 2 of their World Cups and tons of other tournaments. I'm sure ICC is sitting very pretty after the skyrocketing amount. Although nowhere close to FIFA levels, this is still big boost for ICC.
I know, I know. At this point, I'm supposed to make the obligatory statement:
ESPN hates cricket!!! :p
Rowdies4ever
10 Dec 2006, 04:13 AM
Does this mean we might actually be able to watch cricket on ESPN here in the USA? I'll be very surprised if this happens, but this would sure beat those endless reruns of the World Series of Poker on ESPN.
OldFanatic
10 Dec 2006, 04:26 AM
Does this mean we might actually be able to watch cricket on ESPN here in the USA? I'll be very surprised if this happens, but this would sure beat those endless reruns of the World Series of Poker on ESPN.
No, it's not the American version of ESPN. It's ESPN International.
joebloe888
10 Dec 2006, 01:43 PM
Does this mean we might actually be able to watch cricket on ESPN here in the USA? I'll be very surprised if this happens, but this would sure beat those endless reruns of the World Series of Poker on ESPN.
ESPN STAR Sports (ESS), based in Singapore, is managed by News Corporation's STAR TV business.
News Corporation (NewsCorp) is the parent company of FOX Broadcasting, National Sports Programming (which operates FSN, formerly FOX Sports Net), and FOX Sports International (which operates FOX Soccer Channel US, FOX Sports en Espanol US, and FOX Sports Latin America.)
Disney/ESPN is a 50% equity partner of ESS but neither Disney nor ESPN has any management or operational control of ESS.
ESS operates only in Asia with the exception of Japan and the Middle East.
ESPN STAR Sports, from an operational and management standpoint, is much closer to FOX than to ESPN U.S.
Other than the "ESPN" brand and some American team sports programming such as NFL, NBA, and Major League Baseball, the "ESPN" branded channels in Asia that are operated by ESS don't have a whole lot in common with the ESPN channels in the U.S.
joebloe888
10 Dec 2006, 01:45 PM
No, it's not the American version of ESPN. It's ESPN International.
ESPN STAR Sports (ESS) is a corporate cousin of FOX Sports International (FSI), not ESPN International.
Both ESPN STAR Sports (ESS) and FOX Sports International are managed by News Corporation Limited (NewsCorp).