Sony Pictures Networks India (SPNI), a leading media conglomerate owned by Sony Pictures Television, has secured exclusive television and digital rights to broadcast and stream all matches played by New Zealand Cricket (NZC) for the next seven years.
This deal, effective from May 1, 2024, to April 30, 2031, grants SPNI the rights to telecast all home matches played by the New Zealand national teams, the BLACKCAPS (men’s team) and the WHITE FERNS (women’s team), within India and its associated territories.
Cricket enthusiasts can look forward to much-anticipated encounters, including India’s upcoming tours of New Zealand scheduled for the 2026-27 and 2030-31 seasons.
Additionally, the deal encompasses all Test matches, One-Day Internationals (ODIs), and Twenty20 Internationals (T20Is) played in New Zealand throughout the agreement period.
It’s important to note that SPNI’s digital rights for the 2024-25 and 2025-26 seasons will be co-exclusive with Amazon Prime. This means viewers will have the option to stream these matches on either platform during those specific seasons.
New Zealand Cricket (NZC), Chief Executive, Scott Weenink, said, “Sony Pictures Networks India is an aspirational, innovative and forward-focussed business that prides itself on being efficient and sustainable in a rapidly changing world. It puts its consumers first and seeks to be the very best it can be – values NZC relates to very strongly.”
New Zealand Cricket (NZC), GM Commercial, Chris Smith, said, “India was a key market for NZC and that the partnership with SPNI was the result of closely aligned interests. It’s fair to say this is a significant commercial agreement. Sony has a large presence in the Indian market on both linear and digital platforms and we’re looking forward to a long and mutually beneficial partnership. It’s been a great experience working with the SPNI team while finalising these arrangements.”
NP Singh, Managing Director and CEO, Sony Pictures Networks India, stated, “We are thrilled to announce our new partnership with New Zealand Cricket. New Zealand is renowned for its exceptional sportsmanship and strength; it’s one of the most respected cricket teams globally. It is our privilege to deepen and nurture the bond between this esteemed team and its passionate fan base in India.”
Rajesh Kaul, SPNI’s Chief Revenue Officer – Distribution & International Business and Head – Sports Business, said,
“Our constant endeavour has been to add marquee properties to our sports portfolio, making us a global multi-sporting arena for audiences in India. We’re looking forward to showcasing some terrific cricket through our seven-year partnership, including three crucial bilateral series against England, Sri Lanka, and Pakistan, in 2024-25, as well two bilateral series featuring the Indian men’s team in 2026-27 and 2030-31, respectively.”
Sony Pictures Networks India, a subsidiary of Sony Pictures Entertainment, is a powerhouse in the Indian media landscape. The Indian media conglomerate operates a vast network of channels catering to diverse audiences. Some of its well-known offerings include Sony Entertainment Television (SET), a leading Hindi general entertainment channel, and Sony Sports Network, a dedicated platform for sports broadcasting. SPNI’s reach extends to over 700 million viewers in India and has a presence in 167 countries worldwide.
This move is followed by SPNI’s recent extension of exclusive broadcast rights for the UFC in India and a renewed media rights agreement with UEFA for the next three years.
The acquisition of NZC rights further adds to SPNI’s impressive portfolio of cricket broadcasting rights, which already includes agreements with the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) and Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC).