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ESPN3 to Carry Indian Premier League Cricket in the US
Includes IPL Semifinals and Seven 'Game of the Week' Matches, Comprehensive Highlights Rights Package for ESPNcricinfo
ESPN has reached a content exchange agreement with Willow TV for exclusive live digital coverage of Indian Premier League (IPL) cricket on ESPN3 in the US. The deal - which granted Willow TV telecast rights to the India vs. New Zealand series - will give fans in the US access to select matches throughout the 2014 season. Additionally, the agreement includes digital video highlights rights in the US on ESPNcricinfo platforms.
"ESPN3 continues to establish itself as a leading destination for live coverage of major cricket events in the US, and we plan to build our momentum at the conclusion of the ICC World Twenty20 Championship with the start of the IPL's seventh season," said Jason Bernstein, senior director of programming and acquisitions, ESPN. "The IPL features some of the best cricketers - and some of the most passionate fans - in the world, and we look forward to delivering these events nationally to a US audience."
ESPN3 will carry both IPL semifinal matches and seven "Game of the Week" matches. Additionally, the deal includes unlimited highlights rights to those nine matches plus select highlights rights to all other IPL matches.
The seventh season of the IPL begins on Wednesday, April 16 and concludes with the final on Sunday, June 1. In-depth pre- and post-coverage following the IPL throughout the season will be available via ESPNcricinfo online and on mobile platforms.
About ESPN3
ESPN3 is ESPN's live multi-screen sports network, a destination that delivers thousands of exclusive sports events annually. It is accessible online at WatchESPN.com, on smartphones and tablets via the WatchESPN app and streamed on televisions through ESPN on Xbox LIVE to Gold members, Apple TV, Roku and Amazon Fire TV. The network is currently available to more than 92 million homes at no additional cost to fans who receive their high-speed Internet connection or video subscription from an affiliated service provider. The network is also available at no cost to approximately 21 million U.S. college students and U.S.-based military personnel via computers, smartphones and tablets connected to on-campus educational and on-base military broadband and Wi-Fi networks.
About ESPNcricinfo
With 20 years of heritage, ESPNcricinfo is the world's leading digital cricket brand and is among the top five most-visited single-sport digital brands in the world. Founded in 1993 and acquired by ESPN in 2007, ESPNcricinfo is committed to delivering an independent voice for comprehensive coverage of the sport and is available to cricket fans online and across mobile platforms. Globally, ESPNcricinfo leads its top competitors in average minute audience, unique visitors, page views, average minutes per visitor, and total visits. Despite that leading position, it continues to grow. Across online, mobile and tablet devices (Web and apps) fans log more than 141 million visits and nearly 2 billion minutes of time spent each month with ESPNcricinfo globally and log millions of video views.
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