MUMBAI: Sri Lanka Cricket’s global media rights being awarded to incumbent Sony Pictures Networks India (SPN) for a period of four years – from April 2023 to March 2027 – has already been reported on.
What has not been reported on in the Indian media is that Sony’s rights also extend to exclusive cable, satellite and digital rights in Sri Lanka for all international cricket played in the island nation.
Additionally, there is now more clarity on the price point at which Sony renewed said rights. As per Sri Lanka’s The Sunday Times, $21,204,117 is what Sony has committed for the four-year rights tenure, which, it needs noting, is a drop from the reported $22.5 million the network paid in 2020 for acquiring three-year rights for international cricket played in the Emerald Isles.
Pertinently, Disney Star also put in a bid – all of $10m – which basically left SLC with Sony as the only “serious” bidder.
Under the current agreement, Sony will continue to hold rights to all home matches of the Sri Lanka men’s team and other SLC properties. The rights are exclusive and platform-neutral, except in Sri Lanka, where SLC has retained terrestrial rights.
Sri Lanka are scheduled to play India in a six-match bilateral series (3 T20Is, 3 ODIs) in July 2024, and a two-Test series is scheduled at home in 2026.
SLC’s 4-year FTP
2023
April : One Test, Two ODIs vs Ireland
July : Two Tests v Pakistan
2024
January: Three ODIs & Three T20Is v Zimbabwe
February: One Test & Three T20Is v Afghanistan
July : Three ODIs & Three T20Is v India
September: Two Tests v New Zealand
October: Three ODIs & Three T20Is v West Indies
November: Three ODIs & Three T20Is v New Zealand
2025
February: Two Tests v Australia
July : Two Tests, Three ODIs & Three T20Is v Bangladesh
October: Three ODIs, Three T20Is v Ireland
2026
January: Three ODIs & Three T20Is v England
July : Two Tests v India
