Sale of ICC commercial rights from 2007-15 to commence shortly

Dubai, Aug 14 (UNI) ICC is preparing to commence the process of selling the media and sponsorship rights of events scheduled to take place between the second half of 2007 to 2015, a period which includes 18 tournaments with two World Cups -- in Asia (2011) and Australasia (2015) -- and a minimum of three ICC Champions Trophy tournaments.

The eight-year timeframe also includes the first two ICC Twenty20 World Championships, in South Africa (2007) and England (2009) besides four under-19 Cricket World Cups, and, for the first time, the Women's Cricket World Cup, a International Cricket Council (ICC) release said today.

Chief Executive Officer Malcolm Speed will lead the ICC in meetings with potential media partners and sponsors, with former president Ehsan Mani acting as a consultant for the ICC during negotiations.

''The ICC's Executive Board began this process in April when it confirmed the venues for ICC Events from the second half of 2007 to the 2015 ICC Cricket World Cup,'' Speed said.

''With those venues and the timings for the tournaments agreed, we are now in a position to go to market to obtain the best deal for cricket,'' he added.

Mr Mani, who stepped down in July after three years as ICC President, was involved in negotiations for the current agreement, with Global Cricket Corporation (GCC), which is owned by News International Limited.

That agreement, which began in 2000 and ends with the 2007 ICC Cricket World Cup in the West Indies next March and April, includes two ICC Cricket World Cups and four ICC Champions Trophy tournaments, and is worth 550 million dollars.

ICC Events 2007-2015 2007 Cricket World Cup (WI) March/April Twenty20 World Championship (SA) September 2008 U-19 Cricket World Cup (Malaysia) Feb Champions Trophy (PAK) Sep 2009 Women's Cricket World Cup (Aus) Mar ICC Trophy (UAE) April Twenty20 World Championship (ENG) June 2010 U-19 Cricket World Cup (KEN) Feb Champions Trophy (WI) March/April World Cricket League (Holland) 2011 Cricket World Cup (B'desh/Ind/Pak/SL) Feb/Mar 2012 U-19 Cricket World Cup (Canada) July Champions Trophy (SL) Sept Twenty20 World Championship 2013 Women's Cricket World Cup (IND) Feb Champions Trophy Twenty20 World Championship 2014 Champions Trophy (B'Desh) April Twenty20 World Championship U/19 Cricket World Cup (UAE) Feb/Mar World Cricket League 2015 Cricket World Cup (Australasia) Feb/Mar UNI XC DH PM PM1722