Cricket South Africa has awarded exclusive broadcasting rights for home international matches to ARY Digital Network in Pakistan until 2027. The deal includes live broadcasts on A Sports and coincides with Pakistan’s upcoming tour to South Africa. This highlights Pakistan’s significant viewership for South African cricket, standing at 9.1% globally. IMG facilitated the deal, which also aligns with CSA’s international media rights strategy.
Cricket South Africa (CSA) has granted exclusive broadcasting rights for all its home international matches to the ARY Digital Network in Pakistan, a deal that will extend until 2027. The agreement stipulates that all international fixtures hosted by CSA will be aired on ARY’s leading sports channel, A Sports, which will offer live broadcasts, comprehensive analysis, and exclusive behind-the-scenes footage of the matches. This announcement coincides with Pakistan’s men’s cricket team set to tour South Africa for a total of eight matches—comprising two Test matches and six limited-overs games—scheduled for December and January. Moreover, Pakistan holds the fourth position in terms of viewership for South African cricket, reportedly constituting 9.1% of the total global audience, further illustrating the significance of this broadcasting agreement. This recent deal was facilitated by the sports marketing agency, IMG, which has a long-standing relationship with CSA, managing their international media rights for the past thirty years. Alongside this broadcasting contract, CSA has also partnered with the Foxtel Group to broadcast their men’s and women’s international matches in Australia. Rathindra Basu, Vice President for India & South Asia and pan-regional sales, APAC, for IMG’s media division, noted the enthusiasm surrounding cricket in Pakistan, emphasizing the ongoing efforts with CSA to expand commercial opportunities for the sport and broaden the audience for the Proteas worldwide. Additionally, in the previous month, ARY secured the domestic media rights for all Pakistan home international matches through December 2026. CSA also recently announced a partnership with the online betting brand Dafabet as a new shirt sponsor for its national teams.
The article discusses the recent awarding of broadcasting rights by Cricket South Africa to the ARY Digital Network, a major development in the sports broadcasting landscape in Pakistan. This agreement highlights the growing market for cricket in South Africa and its substantial following in Pakistan, showcasing the mutual benefits of such international partnerships. The presence of IMG as an intermediary in managing media rights underlines the professional structure of sports marketing and broadcasting today, which aims to enhance viewership and commercial viability for cricket in these regions.
The exclusive broadcasting rights awarded to ARY Digital Network by Cricket South Africa ensures comprehensive coverage of international cricket matches, enhancing viewership opportunities both in Pakistan and internationally. The partnership reflects the growing interest in cricket within South Africa, particularly from the Pakistani audience, thereby solidifying the position of ARY as a key player in sports media. Overall, this agreement marks a significant advancement in the collaboration between cricketing nations and associated media rights holders.
Original Source: www.sportcal.com
