Sky Sports and BT Sport "are slugging it out for the rights to the 2019 Cricket World Cup in England" after the Int'l Cricket Council confirmed the end of its formal tender process for that and its other major tournaments, according to Ben Rumsby of the London TELEGRAPH. The ICC events -- which also include the 2017 Champions Trophy in England as part of a contract that runs between '15 and '23 -- "have become the latest battleground for Britain’s two warring media giants." Sky currently holds the rights and "is determined to retain them, while BT is looking to make its first foray into international cricket." Sky was awarded the rights in '12 "after striking a deal with ESPN STAR, which the ICC granted the power to distribute them." It "is not known whether it will enter into a similar arrangement this time or sell directly to individual broadcasters." A bidding war "is also likely over the next major rights package on offer, England’s autumn rugby internationals, which include next summer’s warm-up matches for the World Cup." BT has been weighing up a bid for La Liga, while Sky "could respond by snatching Italy’s Serie A ahead of the biggest battle of them all, next year’s Premier League auction" (TELEGRAPH, 10/7).
