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Gone are the days when Doordarshan used to satisfy every cricket lover in India... today, the estimated numbers suggest that Indian cable and satellite Channel viewers pile up a market of US $55 million, and by 2010, it will grow up to 90 million.

Cricket is a game which increases the viewership of Television the most as compared to any other show in India, and thus - theEspnCartoon.jpg big companies are trying to capture the market in whatever manner they can.. The following may not be as entertaining, but are very important for you if you can't afford to miss any cricket match that TEAM INDIA plays.. So read on - - -

Some news updates :-

1. Everyone knows that Nimbus Communications won the telecast rights of all the cricket matches to be played in India from March 2006 to March 2010. What you may not know is that these rights only allows Nimbus to broadcast those cricket matches which will be played in India, but not as a ICC tournament. What this means that tournaments like ICC Champions trophy, which is to be played in October 2006 in India, won't come under Nimbus rights.

Nimbus has the rights when a team like West Indies or Australia tours India, but not tournaments which are tagged "ICC".

2. Nimbus played about $612 million to BCCI for those rights, which will help them telecast around 23 test matches and 56 one day Internationals.... but as of now, that deal started to look gloomy as after England's tour of India, there was absolutely nothing for them to broadcast. Result - Nimbus decided to launch their own Sports channel. So the news is that Nimbus will be starting not one but three sports channels, and call it by name - "NEO SPORTS". These channels are expected to start within three months.

And after Nimbus sports channels, you can be sure of which channel to look for whenever there is a cricket series in India.... isn't it??

3. Not exactly, because Nimbus has just sold their one-third rights to News Corporation (NWS) for a sum of 86 millions, which will enable themEspnstar.png to telecast at least one third of cricket matches which will be played in India. Now the question can be asked that - Does News Corp. has a sports channel of theirs.... well yes, don't you know about ESPN-Star Sports. Those channels are owned by Mr. Rupert Murdoch, same as Nes Corporation.

This deal means that quite a few of cricket matches in India will also be shown by Espn or star sports - the sports channels that Indian viewers know quite well.

4. Another interesting fact is that while giving the telecast rights to Nimbus, BCCI also made sure that whatever cricket matches are played in India, should also be "telecasted like" by Doordarshan, also called as DD1, which is the premier channel of India.

So all in all, very soon, as the new cricket series comes to India, there will be three sports channels showing the cricket matches... THAT TOO LIVE.

5. Just for information, let me remind you that "Direct to home - DTH" services might be new ideEspn-StarSports.jpga as of now, but they are the future. This deal will mean that Nimbus's sports channel - "NeoSports" will be a part of Star Bouquet for Dish Tv and other satellite viewers.

Some Live telecast updates :-

September 2006 : Malaysia tri series -

This series will involve India, Australia and West Indies where each team will play each other twice with top two teams reaching the finals. This series will be live on Zee Sports in India. Now don't ask me why on Zee Sports cause I know the answer but it will be tough for you to understand. Just get Channel Zee Sports to watch Malaysia Tri series in India. Here's more.

October 2005 : ICC Champions Trophy -

This ICC tournament will be played in India, but that doesn't mean Doordarshan or Nimbus has any say on this. The telecast rights of this series were sold already when 2003 World Cup in South Africa was played... and the winner was Sony - The Channel Set Max as you may know. Will Doordarshan show this Champions trophy as it's being played in India.... well, may be. Doordarshan is a government channel and they might come up with some tricks, but to be sure to watch ICC champions trophy as "live telecast"... go and get "Channel Set-Max" at your home. Here's more.

November 2006 : India's tour of South Africa -

There were plenty of news that Tensports might win the telecast rights of this India's tour of South Africa, where Indiasetmax.gifn team will play three test matches, 5 ODI's and their first ever Twenty20 International... but that has not materialized and the channel for you will be ESPN - Star Sports. This sports channel has been showing cricket matches as long as cable TV goes in India (who can forget Harsha Bhogle), and it will be ESPN - StarSports only who will live telecast the South Africa tour in India. Here's more on that telecast. And here The Schedule.

March 2007 : The Cricket World Cup -

Well, the news has not comes as yet about which Indian sports channel will live telecast 2007 Cricket World Cup in West Indies, but I assure you to inform as soon as it happens.





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