ICC to meet for media and sponsorship rights

Dubai, Sep 26 (UNI) The International Cricket Council (ICC) will start meeting broadcasters and agencies today for the sale of media and sponsorship rights of all its events for the eight-year period from late 2007 to 2015.

The existing deal with Global Cricket Corporation, which beagn in 2000, expires at the end of the World Cup in the Carribean in March next year.

The new contract will cover 18 tournaments including two World Cups scheduled in Asia (2011) and Australasia (2015), three Champions Trophy, two Twenty20 World Championships -- in South Africa (2007) and England (2009) --, four U/19 World Cups and two Women's World Cups in Australia (2009) and India (2013).

In a statement, ICC Chief Executive Officer Malcolm Speed said, ''The sale of the ICC's commercial and broadcast rights gives us the opportunity to place cricket on a sound financial footing for the next eight years and, by doing that, it will provide all our Members with the chance to both sustain and grow the game.'' ''We have been gratified and encouraged by the expressions of interest we have received among broadcasters and agencies and are now looking forward to starting our meetings with potential partners.

''Throughout this whole process we have only one aim in mind, securing the best deal for cricket,'' Speed said.

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