ICC eyes revenue jump from sale of sponsorship rights for 2007-15

Dubai, Jan 18 (UNI) A better-than-ever deal seems to be on cards as the International Cricket Council (ICC) has confirmed it is preparing to commence the sponsorship sales process to events scheduled to take place between the second half of 2007 and the World Cup in Australia and New Zealand in 2015.

The period includes 18 ICC tournaments with two ICC Cricket World Cups, in the Sub-Continent (2011) and Australasia (2015), and a minimum of three ICC Champions Trophy tournaments.

Also included are the first two Twenty20 World Championships, in South Africa (2007) and England (2009), the latter taking place in the ICC's centenary year.

The ICC intends to enter negotiations with prospective sponsors with a view to concluding agreements during the first half of 2007.

''The ICC's Executive Board began this process in April of last year when it confirmed the venues for ICC events from the second half of 2007 to the 2015 World Cup,'' ICC Chief Executive Officer Malcolm Speed said.

''With those events and a broadcasting agreement to cover them in place, we are now in a position to go to market to obtain the best possible partners for cricket,'' he added.

The ICC has already sold its broadcast rights for the period with ESPN STAR Sports in December named as its Global Media and Production Partner.

UNI