MUMBAI: New Zealand Cricket (NZC) and Pitch International have signed a long-term sponsorship and media rights agreement which will underpin the financial security of cricket in New Zealand.

In the agreement, Pitch International has secured all New Zealand Cricket?s media rights for international matches played by the Blackcaps in New Zealand for the 2012/13 to 2019/20 seasons. The agreement grants Pitch the world-wide rights to distribute the matches across various platforms including television, radio, mobile and Internet while NZC retains the rights to matches broadcast in New Zealand and to its domestic competitions.

Pitch International specialises in the representation of media rights, selling content globally across all media. They work with sporting federations, clubs and global stars including the English Rugby Union, The Football Association, Six Nations and Uefa.

In the Future Tours Programme, India and Australia visit twice and England visits three times in the next eight years.

NZC CEO David White said, ?New Zealand Cricket is delighted to secure the length and value of this extremely important relationship with Pitch. We are thrilled that Pitch will be helping put the Blackcaps in front of so many fans around the world.

"This agreement puts NZC in a position to safeguard the future of our game by allowing us to concentrate on driving participation and support of cricket. Media rights provide revenue that enables us to fund grassroots and community cricket investments, domestic cricket competitions and retain our best professional players in New Zealand?.

Pitch International founding partner Jon Owen said ?We look forward to representing the Blackcaps brand around the world and building long term value for New Zealand Cricket and its commercial partners.

MUMBAI: Ten Sports, operated by Taj TV, has renewed its exclusive rights for the 2012-15 UEFA Champions League and Uefa Europa League.

Ten Sports will broadcast live at least four matches per match week, as well as delayed coverage and highlights for both club competitions.

Live and delayed broadcasts of the matches will be available on Ten Sports and Ten Action+, with highlights being broadcast on Ten Sports.

Ten Sports has acquired the rights across all broadcast platforms which will enable it to reach audiences throughout India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Maldives, Nepal, Bhutan, Afghanistan and Bangladesh.

Commenting on the award of these media rights in Asia, Uefa said: ?The media rights sales process is successfully continuing in Asia, reflecting the growing interest for UEFA?s club football competitions in the region. UEFA is happy to announce these deals as they will enable football fans throughout the respective territories to enjoy increased levels of match choice and coverage of both the UEFA Champions League and UEFA Europa League."

Meanwhile, Malaysian pay TV operator Astro has been awarded exclusive media rights for the 2012-15 Uefa Champions League and Uefa Europa League for Malaysia and Brunei. Football fans in these countries will be able to see live at least six UEFA Champions League and at least four UEFA Europa League matches per match week, as well as highlights and delayed match coverage for both competitions each week. Astro will exploit the rights across its Astro SuperSport pay platform throughout the territories.

In Myanmar, S Media has been granted all rights to the league. S Media will broadcast live at least six matches per match week on its pay television channels, as well as highlights and delayed coverage, in respect of both the UEFA Champions League and the Uefa Europa League.

All rights have been granted on a platform-neutral basis, so all broadcast partners will exploit the rights via television, Internet and mobile.

MUMBAI: BBC and ITV have entered into a joint deal with Uefa for the rights to the Euro 2008 championships.