• Sportzyverse
• Cricket news
• 04/01/2024
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Sony Pictures Networks India (SPNI), a renowned Media Company, has acquired the Television and Digital broadcasting rights for all upcoming matches featuring New Zealand’s Blackcaps and White Ferns. The broadcasting will be done through SPNI’s sports channel along with live streaming on the Sony LIV app in India and its adjoining territories for the next seven years.

The groundbreaking deal spans from May 1, 2024 to April 30,2031. During this tenure, there will be India’s visit to New Zealand in the summers of 2026-27 and 2030-31 in addition to other bilateral tests, ODIs, and T20s hosted in New Zealand.

According to industry executives, the deal has been fixed roughly around Rs 749 – Rs 833 crore. The SPNI portfolio also includes agreements with the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) and Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC). Rajesh Kaul, SPNI’s head of sports business said that the addition of NZC rights will strengthen the network’s portfolio, considering its esteemed position as the leading cricketing nation globally.

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NP Singh, who is the Managing Director and CEO of Sony Pictures Network India, while announcing the new partnership said that New Zealand is celebrated for its exceptional sportsmanship and strength. It’s an honour for us to strengthen and deepen the bond between such an admired team and its enthusiastic fan base in India.

Adding a few words Scott Weenink, Chief Executive of New Zealand Cricket stated that India is a significant market for us. So it becomes very important for us to make sure that our games are being broadcast in India.

The platform anticipates significant fan engagement, and also adjustments in match timings to accommodate Indian audiences. Moreover, the digital rights will be co-exclusive with Amazon Prime for the 2024-25 and 2025-26 seasons. All these has made NZC deal the second major sports rights acquisition by Sony after the collapse of the merger plans with Zee Entertainment in January.