England’s Test tour of Pakistan in danger of TV blackout as no UK broadcaster bids for rights
Published - 22 Aug 2024, 06:26 PM | Updated - 23 Aug 2024, 01:21 AM
As England is set to visit Pakistan for a three-match Test series in October, there are growing concerns about the potential for a television blackout, with no UK broadcaster currently bidding for the rights to the highly anticipated World Test Championship (WCT) series.
The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) issued a tender document last month in hopes of securing a broadcaster for the upcoming Test series against England, but the response from the UK market has been underwhelming, according to The Guardian.
England's Test tour of Pakistan causes TV coverage crisis as UK broadcasters show no interest
Not a single broadcaster has expressed interest or entered into negotiations, leaving the coverage for the Pakistan versus England Test series in jeopardy. This situation is particularly surprising given the success and historical significance of England's last Test tour of Pakistan in December 2022.
The Ben Stokes-led England cricket team secured a 3-0 Test series victory in their last tour, which was the first time an English team achieved this feat in Pakistan.
Sky Sports, which has traditionally exclusive broadcasting rights for England’s Test matches at home, was the broadcaster for the last Test series in Pakistan.
However, The Guardian report claimed that even Sky Sports hinted that it will not be bidding for the upcoming three-match Test series between Pakistan and England.
Similarly, TNT Sport, which has recently acquired rights for England’s Test series in Australia, India, New Zealand, and the West Indies, has also decided not to run for the rights for the upcoming Pakistan tour.
On the other hand, the PCB’s decision to engage a local marketing agency rather than a global firm like IMG or Pitch International had made things challenging.
This approach contrasts with the strategy used to secure the broadcast deal for England’s recent Test tour of India, which was handled by Channel 4 during the third Covid lockdown and garnered significant viewership.
Sky Cricket not in mood to strike deal with the PCB
However, Channel 4 has not shown interest in bidding for Test cricket since then. Meanwhile, Sky Sports has shifted its focus to maintaining exclusive rights for England’s home series and major global events such as the World Cup and T20 World Cup.
This strategic shift comes as part of Sky's broader decision to concentrate its resources on high-profile cricket events and football, particularly during the busy winter months when it broadcasts numerous live football matches.
Additionally, Sky Cricket's winter schedule is primarily focused on overseas T20 leagues, like IPL, SA20, and ILT20. Commentary and production for these leagues are managed by local teams.
TNT Sport, owned by Warner Bros., has decided to step away from negotiations for the Pakistan tour with the aim of cost-cutting and strategic withdrawal from certain sports rights.
This call was made following TNT Sport’s exit from the negotiations for European Champions Cup and Challenge Cup rugby, which were picked up by Premier Sports recently for the next season.
Now, it will be interesting to see if a last-minute deal can be struck or if alternative arrangements will be made to ensure that the Test series is available to the fans in the UK.
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