Sky wins exclusive cricket contract

Sky has been awarded exclusive rights to show cricket, strengthening its hold over televised sports.

In a move that has received a mixed response from licensees, the broadcaster has added cricket to a growing list of sports it can televise exclusively after the England & Wales Cricket Board agreed a three-year contract.

Although Channel 5 and Channel 4 both have highlights as part of the £220m deal it will mean live footage will not be available on terrestrial television for the first time since the BBC first aired a match in 1938.

Danny Scott, licensee at Rick's Bar in Greenwich, London, said: "This is terrible news. Pretty soon Sky will have the whole sports package, Wimbledon will be the next to go and you have wonder where it all stops. I've got rid of Sky after the prices went up with the football and although this might be cutting off my nose to spite my face I wouldn't dream of getting back just because they've added cricket."

During the four-year period of the latest contract, England will host tours by Sri Lanka, Pakistan, India, West Indies, Zimbabwe, South Africa, New Zealand and Australia.

For those who enjoy the business Sky brings into their pub the deal is potentially very beneficial.

Richard Marshall Duffield licensee at the Famous Three Kings in Fulham, London, said: "This is good for my business and will inject money into the sport so that the England team improve. From the purest point of view it's bad that the game is off terrestrial television but for those with Sky it can be a good thing."