DIRECTV Acquires Exclusive Rights to Broadcast Sri Lanka, West Indies and England Cricket Matches
DIRECTV Now Owns Exclusive Rights to Eight of the Top 11 Cricket-Playing Nations
El Segundo, CA Mar 22, 2005 DIRECTV, Inc., the nation's leading and fastest-growing digital television service provider, announced today it has acquired exclusive U.S. broadcast rights for all Sri Lanka, West Indies and England cricket matches. With exclusive rights to all international cricket from eight of the 11 test-playing nations, DIRECTV is now the leading distributor of international cricket in America.
The cricket matches from each of these countries will be available as part of the DIRECTV CricketTicketTM package. The second season of CricketTicketTM, which begins March 31, 2005, with the South African tour of the West Indies, will include more than 180 days of cricket through 2005, and is available for $225. Tours can also be purchased a la carte.
"With the addition of these rights to our CricketTicket package, DIRECTV is now the clear choice for U.S. cricket fans," said Aaron McNally, vice president, International, DIRECTV, Inc. "With exclusive rights to eight of the top 11 cricketing nations, including several India and Pakistan tours, no other satellite or cable TV company in America comes close."
DIRECTV completed a licensing agreement for Sri Lanka cricket with Taj Sports in Dubai that provides DIRECTV with exclusive access to cricket matches for three years and will include inbound tours from the national teams of India, Pakistan, West Indies, South Africa, England, New Zealand, Zimbabwe and Bangladesh.
The West Indies agreement, through Setanta Sport in Dublin, will allow DIRECTV to exclusively offer cricket matches for two years and includes tours from nations such as India, Pakistan, South Africa, Australia and Zimbabwe. The English cricket agreement, also from Setanta Sport, will offer the Ashes tour of Australia and also Bangladesh.
The acquisition of cricket broadcast rights is part of a broader initiative by DIRECTV to expand its international programming services. Late last year, DIRECTV introduced a series of new international channels including SBTN, a Vietnamese-language channel, Italian news channel SKY TG24 and new South Asian programming from STAR Group Limited, Asia's leading media company.
DIRECTV has also developed two new base programming packages exclusively for customers who subscribe to the new international services - BASIC ($9.99 per month) and PREFERRED CHOICE ($29.99 per month). The BASIC package offers up to 50 channels including local channels (where available), music and shopping channels. In addition to those channels offered in the BASIC package, the PREFERRED CHOICE package includes a variety of relevant English-language channels such as ESPN, CNN, The History Channel, Food Network, TNT, MTV and the Fox Movie Channel.
All new international programming is broadcast from the 95-degree West Longitude (WL) orbital slot, requiring customers to use a new 36-inch dish capable of receiving programming from 95 degrees WL, as well as DIRECTV's primary orbital slot at 101 degrees WL. In some markets, customers who subscribe to a local channels package will require a second smaller dish.
To order or inquire about residential pricing for these channels, consumers can call (800) 378-4179.
DIRECTV, Inc. is the nation's leading and fastest-growing digital multichannel television service provider with more than 13.9 million customers. DIRECTV and the Cyclone Design logo are registered trademarks of DIRECTV, Inc. DIRECTV (NYSE: DTV) is a world-leading provider of digital multichannel television entertainment services. DIRECTV is 34 percent owned by Fox Entertainment Group, which is wholly-owned by News Corporation.
http://www.directv.com/DTVAPP/aboutus/headline.dsp?id=03_22_2005A
DIRECTV Now Owns Exclusive Rights to Eight of the Top 11 Cricket-Playing Nations
El Segundo, CA Mar 22, 2005 DIRECTV, Inc., the nation's leading and fastest-growing digital television service provider, announced today it has acquired exclusive U.S. broadcast rights for all Sri Lanka, West Indies and England cricket matches. With exclusive rights to all international cricket from eight of the 11 test-playing nations, DIRECTV is now the leading distributor of international cricket in America.
The cricket matches from each of these countries will be available as part of the DIRECTV CricketTicketTM package. The second season of CricketTicketTM, which begins March 31, 2005, with the South African tour of the West Indies, will include more than 180 days of cricket through 2005, and is available for $225. Tours can also be purchased a la carte.
"With the addition of these rights to our CricketTicket package, DIRECTV is now the clear choice for U.S. cricket fans," said Aaron McNally, vice president, International, DIRECTV, Inc. "With exclusive rights to eight of the top 11 cricketing nations, including several India and Pakistan tours, no other satellite or cable TV company in America comes close."
DIRECTV completed a licensing agreement for Sri Lanka cricket with Taj Sports in Dubai that provides DIRECTV with exclusive access to cricket matches for three years and will include inbound tours from the national teams of India, Pakistan, West Indies, South Africa, England, New Zealand, Zimbabwe and Bangladesh.
The West Indies agreement, through Setanta Sport in Dublin, will allow DIRECTV to exclusively offer cricket matches for two years and includes tours from nations such as India, Pakistan, South Africa, Australia and Zimbabwe. The English cricket agreement, also from Setanta Sport, will offer the Ashes tour of Australia and also Bangladesh.
The acquisition of cricket broadcast rights is part of a broader initiative by DIRECTV to expand its international programming services. Late last year, DIRECTV introduced a series of new international channels including SBTN, a Vietnamese-language channel, Italian news channel SKY TG24 and new South Asian programming from STAR Group Limited, Asia's leading media company.
DIRECTV has also developed two new base programming packages exclusively for customers who subscribe to the new international services - BASIC ($9.99 per month) and PREFERRED CHOICE ($29.99 per month). The BASIC package offers up to 50 channels including local channels (where available), music and shopping channels. In addition to those channels offered in the BASIC package, the PREFERRED CHOICE package includes a variety of relevant English-language channels such as ESPN, CNN, The History Channel, Food Network, TNT, MTV and the Fox Movie Channel.
All new international programming is broadcast from the 95-degree West Longitude (WL) orbital slot, requiring customers to use a new 36-inch dish capable of receiving programming from 95 degrees WL, as well as DIRECTV's primary orbital slot at 101 degrees WL. In some markets, customers who subscribe to a local channels package will require a second smaller dish.
To order or inquire about residential pricing for these channels, consumers can call (800) 378-4179.
DIRECTV, Inc. is the nation's leading and fastest-growing digital multichannel television service provider with more than 13.9 million customers. DIRECTV and the Cyclone Design logo are registered trademarks of DIRECTV, Inc. DIRECTV (NYSE: DTV) is a world-leading provider of digital multichannel television entertainment services. DIRECTV is 34 percent owned by Fox Entertainment Group, which is wholly-owned by News Corporation.
http://www.directv.com/DTVAPP/aboutus/headline.dsp?id=03_22_2005A
