Cricket World Cup 2019: Sky Sports in talks to show final on free-to-air TV to mimic BT Sport’s Champions League coverage
Sky Sports are open to showing the Cricket World Cup final on free-to-air television with talks underway.
The move is a boost to cricket fans and could open up the Lord's match to millions of new viewers with the sport's viewing figures dwindling in recent years.
It follows BT Sport making the Champions League final available to watch or stream for free, with 11.3 million tuning in to see Liverpool's 2-0 win over Tottenham in Madrid.
Talks have begun between the broadcaster and World Cup organisers about the potential to make the final free to watch, with ICC Chief Executive Dave Richardson confirming the news.
"We are hopeful something will be worked out," Richardson told the BBC.
"I know the ECB and the organising committee are working with Sky to try to maximise the reach for the match."
With Channel 4's baffling decision to show highlights much later than the permitted three hours after the match, sometimes in the early hours of the morning, coverage of the tournament has been heavily restricted to the wider public.
Sky are open to the move, but after investing £2 billion into the English game, they are naturally reluctant to compromise their exclusivity.
England captain Eoin Morgan disagrees the sport must be shown on terrestrial television though.
Instead Morgan wants short clips of highlights to be made available quickly on social media.
