SPN bags broadcast & digital rights for Bangladesh Premier League 2016

Sony Pictures Networks (SPN) has acquired the broadcast and digital rights of the fourth edition of the Bangladesh Premier League (BPL) 2016. The tournament, which is known as the biggest cricket extravaganza in Bangladesh, commences on November 4, 2016, and will be telecast on Sony SIX and Sony SIX HD as well as streamed live on SonyLIV app and website.

The on-air broadcast rights include the telecast of 43 live matches of the tournament in the Indian Sub-continent. Along with live streaming, SonyLIV will also be providing fans with a lot of exclusive Video-On-Demand (VOD) content like Highlights, Best Sixes, Best Catches, Fielding and more.

The Bangladesh Premier League is played in the T20 format and will feature a total of seven teams, which include six teams from the previous season and the addition of one new franchise from Khulna and Rajshahi. The other teams are Comilla Victorians, Barisal Bulls, Rangpur Riders, Dhaka Dynamites and Chittagong Vikings. This season of the tournament will see some of the biggest names in cricket – Dwayne Bravo, Kumar Sangakkara, Mahela Jayawardene and Dwayne Smith.

The first match of BPL 2016 will be played between Rajshahi Kings and Comilla Victorians at Dhaka. The top four teams from the group stage will qualify for the knockout stage, which includes the semi-finals, the eliminator and the final match. The semi-finals of BPL 2016 will take place on December 8, while the final will be played on December 9 in Dhaka.

Commenting on the development, Rajesh Kaul, President, Distribution and Sports Business, Sony Pictures Network, said, “Sony Pictures Networks India has been at the forefront of bringing and popularising theT20 league format of cricket. Following our previous offerings of Indian Premier League, Caribbean Premier League, South African T20 League and Karnataka Premier League, we are pleased to announce the addition of the Bangladesh Premier League (BPL) to our T20 cricket portfolio. The BPL line-up is particularly impressive with international cricketers like Chris Gayle, Thisara Perera, Andre Russell, Dwayne Bravo and more that our viewers can look forward to.”

The first match of the Bangladesh Premier League will be played between Rajshahi Kings and Comilla Victorians and will be aired live on November 4 from 1.55 pm onwards on Sony SIX and Sony SIX HD as well as stream live on SonyLIV app and website.