Sky Sports has won the rights to broadcast exclusively live Major League Soccer from the U.S. for the first time. The four-year MLS deal begins in March, bringing an even wider range of coverage to Sky Sports viewers. Sky Sports secured 25 new rights agreements in '14, and that has continued this year with recent deals for int'l and domestic cricket with the England & Wales Cricket Board and exclusively live coverage of the Open Championship from '17, as well as even more Premier League football from '16 (Sky Sports). In London, James Andrew reported British football fans "will still be able to watch Steven Gerrard and Frank Lampard when they head to America." Gerrard and Lampard will "join the league in July once they have finished playing in the Premier League." David Beckham welcomed the news, saying, "This is another important moment that shows the continued growth of MLS." Sky Sports Managing Dir Barney Francis: "Football in the U.S. and Canada has enormous potential for growth and we can’t wait to bring this competition to our viewers for the first time" (DAILY MAIL, 2/25).
