Pay TV platform Sky sub-licences cricket event to Channel 4 in the UK

In a further sign of growing co-operation between free-to-air and pay TV broadcasters on sports right, Sky has struck a deal that will allow UK broadcaster Channel 4 to air England’s ICC Men’s T20 World Cup Final against Pakistan this Sunday (Nov 13).

Jonathan Licht

The game will be shown live on Sky Showcase – available in all Sky homes – and on Channel 4, Sky Sports Main Event and Sky Sports Cricket. All channels will utilise Sky Sports’ coverage, which in effect provides Sky with an opportunity to showcase its production skills to a mainstream audience (and presumably also collect a rights fee).

Jonathan Licht, managing director, Sky Sports commented: “We know the importance of this game, so we are pleased to be able to share this great sporting moment with our whole nation thanks to our strong relationship with Channel 4.”

Sky and Channel 4 have developed an ongoing partnership in recent years. Other deals have included live coverage of last year’s Formula 1 season finale and England’s victory in the ICC Cricket World Cup in 2019. Sky has taken a similar approach to sub-licensing live sports content to free to air broadcasters in Germany.