ECB today announced a new seven-year deal with ESPN STAR Sports (ESS) for the exclusive multi-platform rights to broadcast ECB's domestic and home international programme across all the broadcaster's territories in Asia, the Middle East and North Africa.
ESS are the ECB's current broadcast partner in the region, having held the contract for the past five years.
The new agreement, which runs from 2013 to 2019, will encompass more than 300 days of live international cricket, including India's next two tours to England in 2014 and 2018 and three home Ashes series scheduled for 2013, 2015 and 2019.
As well as covering all England's home Investec Tests, NatWest Series and NatWest International T20 fixtures, the deal will also give ESS the right to transmit 60 days' coverage every season from all ECB's key domestic competitions: the LV=County Championship, Clydesdale Bank 40 and Friends Life t20 competitions plus selected England Lions, England Under-19s and England women's matches.
ECB Chief Executive David Collier said: "This new agreement demonstrates the enormous appetite for cricket worldwide and the global pulling power of a successful England team and a vibrant county game.
"In a challenging economic climate with all sports facing tough competition for funding streams, it will also provide an important source of additional revenue for funding the development of our game at all levels.
"TV audiences for cricket are expanding rapidly in Asia and the Middle East and we look forward to working closely with ESS to give both our international and county teams the widest possible TV exposure over the next seven years."
Manu Sawhney, Managing Director, ESPN STAR Sports, said: "We are delighted to further extend our partnership with ECB with whom we have shared a very strong relationship over the past two decades.
“Over the years, we have continued to showcase the best cricket action from around the world to fans from the India sub-continent and this acquisition further re-affirms our position as the leader in cricket broadcasting."
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