India vs England series has no UK broadcaster yet, Disney pegs rights price at ₹200 crore

There is a significant buzz ahead of the upcoming India vs England series. With international cricket finally returning to India amidst the coronavirus pandemic and the wide popularity of the sport in the two participating nations, the matches are expected to grab a lot of eyeballs. However, there still seems to be uncertainty regarding the live broadcast in the United Kingdom.

India vs England: No clarity yet on the live broadcast in the UK 

Whenever the India and England team battle it out, it is deemed as a marquee event, irrespective of the stage. With the first Test match between the two cricketing giants inching closer, several UK TV networks are striving hard to attain the rights of the much-anticipated series. The Star Sports Network owns the rights to telecast India's home matches and they have set a staggering price for selling the feed in the UK. 

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As reported by Insidesport, many channels such as Sky Sports, BT Sport, and Channel 4 are vying for the rights. However, they are reportedly not able to match Star Sports' demand of £20 million (approximately ₹200 crore). The Star network also apparently contemplating streaming the live matches on their Disney+Hotstar digital platform. The series promises to be a lucrative deal for the broadcasters considering the UK lockdown.

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With a majority of the citizens forced to remain in their homes especially in the UK, the viewership of the matches could hit the roof. Moreover, considering the Indian population in the country, a significant number of viewers are expected to tune-in from the region to catch Virat Kohli and co. take on the in-form England unit. After India's triumphant run in Australia, it is speculated that TV ratings will shoot up in the Indian subcontinent as well. 

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The Sony Pictures Sports Network, who were the official broadcasters for the recently concluded Border-Gavaskar Trophy, also managed to garner stellar ratings during the series. Sony Ten 3 also became the number 1 sports channel in the country after the ODI series between India and Australia. They also attained significant numbers during the India vs Australia 4th Test 2021, where Ajinkya Rahane and co. pulled off a historic series win. 

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A look at the India vs England schedule 

England are scheduled to play four Test matches against India. While the first two fixtures will be played at the MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai, Ahmedabad's Sardar Patel Stadium will host the final two Test matches, as well as five T20Is. The two teams will also battle it out in a three-match ODI series, which will be played at the Maharashtra Cricket Association Stadium in Pune. According to the India vs England schedule, the first Test match is set to begin on February 5.

Image source: AP