India’s top premium sports broadcasting network, Sony Sports Network has acquired the exclusive television rights to the second edition of the United States’ professional T20 cricket league, Cognizant Major League Cricket (MLC).
The league’s second season is set to commence tomorrow, i.e., July 6, 2024, IST with the defending champions, MI New York, taking on Seattle Orcas at Church Street Park in Morrisville. The grand finale will take place at the Grand Prairie Stadium in Texas and be televised live in India on July 29, 2024.
MLC has successfully garnered attention from India’s enduring cricket fraternity and is largely responsible for the current cricket revolution in the United States. The involvement of the Indian Premier League (IPL) teams, Mumbai Indians (MI), Chennai Super Kings (CSK), and Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR), has added an entirely new dimension of excitement for their respective fan bases. Furthermore, several of the most well-known cricket players, such as Marcus Stoinis, Kieron Pollard, Andre Russell, Sunil Narine, Quinton de Kock, Faf du Plessis, Pat Cummins, Shakib Al Hasan and more are set to play in the upcoming season.
Adding to this, the second season of the MLC also boasts an all-star cast of commentators, including the former Indian cricketer Sunil Gavaskar, Wasim Akram, Danny Morrison, Daren Ganga, Pommie Mbangwa, Matthew Hayden, Chris Morris, Natalie Germanos, Scott Styris, and Mike Haysmen.
The first edition of the MLC was a significant success, with six teams taking part – San Francisco Unicorns (SFU), Washington Freedom, Texas Super Kings (TSK), Seattle Orcas, Los Angeles Knight Riders (LAKR), and MI New York.
Sony Sports Network’s acquisition of television rights for MLC solidifies its position in cricket broadcasting. The broadcaster’s cricket portfolio already includes rights to New Zealand Cricket, England Cricket Board, Sri Lanka Cricket, and the recently added India Tour of Zimbabwe T20I series.