ST JOHN’S, Antigua, CMC – The West Indies Cricket Board (WICB) and the Caribbean Media Corporation (CMC) have announced a major television distribution rights deal for the Digicel Series for the next two years.
CMC will have the rights for live broadcast of the upcoming Digicel Series 2011 between West Indies and world Test champions India along with Pakistan, and in 2012 when the West Indies host Australia and New Zealand.
In addition, CMC has also acquired the Caribbean rights for the highlights of the Caribbean Twenty20 tournament for 2011, 2012 and 2013 plus the highlights for the semi-finals and final of the WICB Regional 50-Over Championship for the same period.
CMC will sublicense these rights to television stations in each of the regional countries to ensure that West Indies international and regional tournaments are viewed by the widest possible Caribbean audience.
“CMC is pleased to have secured these rights for the benefit of Caribbean broadcasters and Caribbean viewers,” said CMC’s CEO Patrick Cozier.
“In today’s highly competitive rights market, CMC was delighted to be the preferred rights-holder for the region.”
WICB CEO Dr. Ernest Hilaire said the partnership with CMC was a crucial one.
“WICB is pleased to engage with a fellow regional institution, in CMC, to bring West Indies cricket to the television screens of the fans all across the Caribbean as we work together to consolidate cricket as the region’s premier sport and West Indies cricket as a principal regional brand,” he said.
Pakistan face West Indies in two Tests and five One-Day Internationals from April 18 to May 20 while India will tour the Caribbean from June 4 to July 6, playing three Tests and five ODIs.
