BBC SPORT | Cricket | Asian ESPN pays $1bn for Twenty20

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10:34 GMT, Thursday, 11 September 2008 11:34 UK

Asian ESPN pays $1bn for Twenty20

Middlesex celebrate their Twenty20 Cup win

Asian broadcaster ESPN Star Sports has paid nearly $1 billion (£572m) for the commercial and marketing rights to the inaugural Twenty20 Champions League.

The huge sum secures the rights for the next 10 years.

"This makes the Twenty20 Champions League the highest value cricket event on a per game basis," said organisers.

The event begins on 3 December, with £3.4m prize money on offer for the eight teams, including Middlesex, but the venue is yet to be decided.

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The tournament will feature two teams from Australia, India and South Africa as well as England Twenty20 domestic champions Middlesex and Pakistan's Sialkot.

The Australian, Indian and South African boards will jointly organise the Champions League and plan to expand the field to 12 teams next year.

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Related to this story:

Date change for Champions League (14 Aug 08 | Cricket )
Twenty20 schedule to be reviewed (06 Aug 08 | Cricket )
Pakistan keeps Champions Trophy (24 Jul 08 | Cricket )
Kent lose Champions League place (01 Aug 08 | Cricket )
Champions League format announced (30 Jul 08 | Cricket )
Middlesex win thrilling Cup final (26 Jul 08 | Counties )
Champions League bans ICL players (22 Jun 08 | Cricket )
Cricket Champions League unveiled (07 Jun 08 | Cricket )

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