The BBC was "facing fresh competition from BT for the free-to-air rights to English cricket" on Wednesday as the telecom "plotted its biggest sporting coup since landing the Champions League," according to Ben Rumsby of the London TELEGRAPH. BT Consumer Division CEO John Petter confirmed the company was "interested" in the rights to the '20-24 seasons that were last week "put out to tender" by the England & Wales Cricket Board. BT Sport had been "widely expected to challenge Sky Sports" for England's Test matches and the "majority" of its county teams' other games, which are available to pay-TV and terrestrial broadcasters, and "it could yet do so." But, like Discovery Communications, which was reportedly "eyeing the free-to-air-only rights," BT Sport was "openly examining the same live and in-game digital packages on offer." Petter also said that BT would "look at snatching the rights" to the British & Irish Lions tour from Sky after this summer's series. Petter, who last year helped BT beat Sky to this winter's Ashes series in Australia, added, "How we're thinking about this is free-to-view and we're including in it how we think about it digital as well" (TELEGRAPH, 5/24).
CHAMPIONS TROPHY: In London, Elizabeth Ammon reported the BBC secured the rights to televise highlights of this summer's Int'l Cricket Council Champions Trophy. Match highlights will be shown on BBC Two on each night there is a game, including the final on June 18, and it will be the "first time any cricket has been shown on the BBC" since '99. The BBC will take footage from the ICC's TV feed, which is what will be shown live on Sky Sports, and "will have commentary from the ICC's appointed commentary team." This is an opportunity for the BBC to reiterate its "commitment to returning cricket" to its mainstream channels. BBC execs have been in "advanced talks with ECB officials and are the favourites to secure the rights to the free-to-air elements of a new broadcasting deal" from '20-24 (LONDON TIMES, 5/25).
