The International Cricket Council (ICC), has awarded the live events production services contract to UK independent TV sports production and media company, Sunset+Vine. The multi-event contract runs from 2016 to 2019, and covers eight major tournaments including next year’s ICC World Twenty20 Combined Men’s and Women’s event and culminating with the ICC Cricket World Cup 2019 in England and Wales.
Jeff Foulser, chairman of Sunset+Vine, commented: “Cricket coverage has been in this company’s DNA since the late 90’s when we introduced innovations like Hawk-Eye and the Snickometer to Channel 4’s coverage and we look forward to working closely with the ICC’s broadcast rights holders to deliver exciting and compelling coverage for their viewers around the world.”
Between 1999 and 2005 Sunset+Vine produced nearly 50 live Test matches, 65 one-day internationals and 348 highlights programmes for Channel 4 in the UK. The company was recently the Host Broadcaster for the ICC World Twenty20 Qualifier 2015 and currently produces daily highlights shows of both England’s domestic Test series and One-Day Internationals for Channel Five.
“ICC has taken live production in house for the first time and are looking forward to a successful relationship with Sunset+Vine and Broadcast Solutions,” said Campbell Jamieson, general manager, commercial, ICC. “ICC aims to provide innovative and compelling coverage of its events using first class broadcast technology to service its fans via Star Sports, ICC’s Global Broadcast Partner, and its other media rights partners.”
The first event to be covered will be the ICC U19 Cricket World Cup in Bangladesh followed by the ICC World Twenty20 in March/April 2016 in India; ICC Champions Trophy 2017 (England and Wales); ICC Women’s World Cup 2017 (England and Wales); ICC U19 Cricket World Cup 2018 (New Zealand); ICC Cricket World Cup Qualifier 2018 (Bangladesh); ICC Women’s World Twenty20 2018 (West Indies) and the ICC Cricket World Cup 2019 (England and Wales).
Executive producers will be Huw Bevan and Gary Franses. Gavin Scovell will be the senior match director with Joanna Lowndes-Lumb head of production.
