The England & Wales Cricket Board will "take greater control" of its cricket broadcast content in its next TV deal following the approval of plans to introduce a new Twenty20 tournament, according to Nick Hoult of the London TELEGRAPH. The ECB intends to produce its own cricket coverage for the new Twenty20 competition in a "radical departure for the sport" which has always relied on host broadcasters such as Sky to provide the expertise and production of its programs. But in a move similar to the way the Indian board produces its own TV content, the ECB "intends to have total say over how the new tournament is shown." Negotiations for the new TV deal will "dominate the early part of the summer." The ECB will formally begin the tender process on May 10, and intends to announce a new deal in August on a contract covering '20-24 and worth around £1.2B ($1.5B). BT Sport and Sky are "set for a bidding war but will have to forge a partnership with a terrestrial broadcaster too," with the ECB wanting its new competition to reach a larger audience by showing at least eight games on free-to-air TV (TELEGRAPH, 4/26).