TV, radio coverage of major tour matches

Cricket fans, don't despair. You'll get to see your favourite West Indies stars on the field during the just-started tour of Zimbabwe and Kenya.

What appeared impossible two weeks ago is now on the horizon, as the Caribbean Broadcasting Corporation (CBC) yesterday finalised arrangements with rights owners, Caribbean Sports Television Network (CSTN), for television and radio coverage of the major tour matches.

The matches will be shown as part of a special pay-per-view package on CBC's Multi-Choice TV, Channel 57.

Fans will have to pay $150 for the full Test series between June 23 and July 31, or $75 per match, while it will cost $25 per match for the One-Day triangular series involving Zimbabwe and India between June 23 and July 4.

West Indies play their opening match against Zimbabwe on Saturday starting at 2:30 a.m. Barbados time.

CBC's marketing manager Melena Sealy-Simmons declined to quote the price at which CBC secured the package, but said it was significantly lower than the original request for 17 days of coverage.

She said CBC had borne the full weight of purchase of the rights to radio coverage.

There are still no sponsors in place now, she said.

I strongly believe some will come on board when coverage starts, since no business house would want to get involved before any agreement is complete.

Meanwhile, Voice Of Barbados will not carry radio coverage. David Ellis, Starcom's manager of news and public affairs, said yesterday the station was still unable to pay CSTN's asking price.

We are still open to negotiations, but right now there has been no change in their position of asking US$8 500 for 17 days of coverage, and we can't carry it at that price, he said.