Sky buys rights to final test in last-minute deal (21 August 1999)

21 August 1999

Sky buys rights to final test in last-minute deal

John Coffey

Sky Television completed arrangements to show the deciding fourth cricket test between England and New Zealand at The Oval only a few minutes before play started on Thursday night.

Many cricket fans awoke on Friday morning, having spent long hours listening to radio broadcasts, to learn a comparatively small number of channel surfers had happened upon the live action on Sky Sport.

"We were surprised ourselves when we were able to get it about 10 o'clock last night," said Sky public relations officer Melissa Brady yesterday.

"We have been trying to get hold of it for some time, but had not been able to purchase the live rights. Last night, very late, we were able to find someone who could sell them to us and then get the satellite feed."

Clashes with rugby league matches caused some channel shuffling last night and will tonight. The cricket started on Sky Sport 2, then reverted to Sky Sport at 11.30pm after the NRL games.

Brady said she did not know who owned the cricket rights in England.

"The whole rights issue is complicated. We are at the moment trying to get the Indian (cricket) tour as well, but just finding out who owns them is a mammoth task."

Meanwhile, Sky has announced the showdown between the unbeaten welterweight boxers Oscar De La Hoya and Felix Trinidad on September 19 would be its second pay-per-view feature on its digital service.

John McCready, Sky's director of programming and marketing, assured viewers there were no plans to switch "rugby, rugby league, cricket, and in fact all the other sports they currently view on Sky Sport and Sky Sport 2" on to a pay-per-view basis.

Source :: The Christchurch Press (https://www.press.co.nz/)