Sky Sports domestic women s cricket first

Sky Sports will broadcast live domestic women's cricket for the first time ever on UK television this summer, with eight live matches announced in the Kia Super League.

In partnership with the ECB, Sky Sports has signed a new deal to show matches from the Kia Super League beginning in August 2017. As part of the new agreement Sky will become the first broadcaster in the UK to show live women's domestic cricket.

Sky Sports will show six group stage matches from the KSL, each part of a double-header with a men's NatWest T20 Blast match, and will also broadcast both games from the finals day live in September. The 2017 twenty20 season gets underway with defending champions Southern Vipers against Western Storm at the Ageas Bowl on Thursday 10 August. Customers can follow the matches on Sky Sports and Sky Sports Mix.

This new set of rights adds to an unrivalled schedule of women's sport on Sky in 2017. In addition to showing the Kia Super League and the ICC Women's Cricket World Cup this summer, Sky Sports also offers viewers live coverage of international and Superleague Netball, England Rugby's Red Roses competing in the Six Nations, and women's golf from the LPGA tour with all five majors for the first time including the British Open in July.

Bryan Henderson, Sky Sports Head of Cricket, commented: Sky Sports is giving women's cricket a platform like never before. With record attendance figures last year, we can't wait to show this domestic competition sport live in homes for the first time this summer. This is another example of Sky's support of the women's game, we hope our coverage this summer will help inspire the next generation of cricketers.

Coverage of the Kia Super League this summer will follow the excitement of the ICC Women's World Cup, with live television coverage on Sky Sports in June and July, including the final at Lord's on Sunday 23rd July. Sky customers can also catch up with cricket news and analysis of women's sport every week on the UK's only dedicated women's sports show, Sportswomen.

Clare Connor, ECB Director of England Women's Cricket, said: At the end of last summer I said that I was immensely proud of what the Kia Super League had achieved during its first season, but equally I stressed that there was still considerable growth potential for the competition. Moving into year two I am therefore delighted to announce the next historic moment in the development of the domestic women's game in this country, with six Kia Super League group stage matches plus finals day due to be televised live on Sky Sports.

Skys coverage of women's cricket sits alongside an exciting set of cricket programming on Sky Sports in 2017. This summer Sky Sports will broadcast England men's Test series against South Africa and the West Indies, the ICC Champions Trophy, NatWest T20 Blast, Royal London Cup and the County Championships. Viewers will be able to follow Sky Sports' live coverage alongside regular commentators such as Nasser Hussain, Michael Atherton and David Lloyd. Big names from the England Women's team will also be joining the Sky commentary team throughout the summer.

Non-subscribers of Sky Sports can also catch the action without a contract though online TV streaming service NOW TV. With a Sky Sports Day Pass for £6.99 or Sky Sports Week Pass for £10.99, viewers can enjoy access to all seven Sky Sports channels on TV with a NOW TV Box, on the web or via a range of devices.

Kia Super League - Sky Sports live televised games

Thursday 10 August

14.30: Southern Vipers v Western Storm (Ageas Bowl)

Friday 11 August

14.30: Yorkshire Diamonds v Lancashire Thunder (Headingley)

Saturday 12 August

12.00: Western Storm v Loughborough Lightening (The Cooper Associates County Ground)

Sunday 13 August

12:00: Surrey Stars v Yorkshire Diamonds (Kia Oval)

Tuesday 15 August

14:30: Loughborough Lightening v Southern Vipers (The 3aaa County Ground)

Wednesday 16 August

14:30: Lancashire Thunder v Surrey Stars (Emirates Old Trafford)

For further information, please contact:

Sky Sports

Sky Sports PR

020 7032 1445

Sky Sports

Follow us on twitter @SkySports

About Sky

Sky is Europe's leading entertainment company. The group serves 20 million customers across five countries: Italy, Germany, Austria, the UK and Ireland. We offer the best and broadest range of content, deliver market-leading customer service and use innovative new technology to give customers a better TV experience, whenever and wherever they choose.

Sky has annual revenues of over £11 billion and is Europe's leading investor in television content with a combined programming budget of over £4.6 billion. The company employs 31,000 people and is listed on the London Stock Exchange (SKY).

For more information visit www.sky.com/corporate

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