Sony Sports Network gets exclusive television rights for MLC' 24 in India

Culver Max Entertainment Private Limited, which owns and operates Sony Sports Network, one of the pioneering sports broadcasters in India, has announced the acquisition of exclusive television rights for T20 cricket spectacle Major League Cricket (MLC) for a tenure of one year in India. The second edition of the league will begin with reigning champions MI New York facing Seattle Orcas in the opener at Church Street Park, Morrisville and will be live telecast in India on July 6th, 2024. The grand finale of the tournament will be played at the Grand Prairie Stadium in Texas and will be live telecast in India on 29^th July 2024.

A major share from the ongoing cricket revolution in the United States can be attributed to MLC, which has attracted eyeballs of India’s evergreen cricket fraternity. The participation from Indian cricket franchises Mumbai Indians, Kolkata Knight Riders and Chennai Super Kings brings a whole new level of excitement for fans of the respective teams. Some of the most popular cricketers including Quinton de Kock, Marcus Stoinis, Nicholas Pooran are expected to feature in the upcoming edition of the league.

 The MLC’s second season features an all-star lineup of announcers, including the former captain of the Indian national cricket team and great batsman Sunil Gavaskar, Pakistani legendary bowler Wasim Akram, former New Zealand and Auckland cricketer Danny Morrison, alongside Daren Ganga, Pommie Mbangwa, Matthew Hayden, Chris Morris, Natalie Germanos, Scott Styris, and Mike Haysmen. 

The inaugural edition of MLC attained critical success with six teams participating i.e. San Francisco Unicorns, Washington Freedom, Texas Super Kings, Seattle Orcas, Los Angeles Knight Riders and MI New York. Team MI New York was crowned champions after they defeated Seattle Orcas in the final played at the Grand Prairie Stadium in Texas. Nicholas Pooran, who featured for the champions, registered 388 runs and was adjudged the Player of the Season last year.

 With the acquisition of television rights for Major League Cricket, Sony Sports Network has asserted its solid footprint in broadcasting cricket properties. The broadcaster’s cricket portfolio already boasts of rights for New Zealand Cricket, England Cricket Board, Sri Lanka Cricket & the recent addition of India Tour of Zimbabwe T20I series.

 Watch Major League Cricket Season 2 from 6^th July 2024, 1:00 AM IST onwards, LIVE on Sony Sports Ten 1 SD & HD & Sony Sports Ten 5 SD & HD channels. 

*Live matches timings & channel destinations are subject to change.

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About Culver Max Entertainment Private Limited (formerly known as Sony Pictures Networks India): 

Sony Pictures Networks India is the consumer-facing identity of Culver Max Entertainment Private Limited (the “Company”), which is an indirect wholly owned subsidiary of Sony Group Corporation, Japan. 

The Company has several channels including Sony Entertainment Television (SD HD), one of India's leading Hindi general entertainment television channels; Sony MAX, India's premium Hindi movies and special events channel; Sony MAX 2, another Hindi movie channel showcasing great India Cinema; Sony MAX HD, a high definition Hindi movie channel airing premium quality films; Sony WAH, the Hindi movies channel for rural markets; Sony SAB and Sony SAB HD the family-oriented Hindi comedy entertainment channels; Sony PAL, a genre leader in rural Hindi speaking markets (HSM) showcasing the best of Hindi general entertainment and Hindi movies from its content library; Sony PIX and Sony PIX HD, Sony BBC Earth and Sony BBC Earth HD, the premium factual entertainment channels, Sony AATH, the Bangla entertainment channel; Sony Yay!, the kids entertainment channel; Sony Sports Network – Sony Sports Ten 1,  Sony Sports Ten 1 HD, Sony Sports Ten 2, Sony Sports Ten 2 HD, Sony Sports Ten 3, Sony Sports Ten 3 HD; Sony Sports Ten 4, Sony Sports Ten 4 HD; Sony Sports Ten 5; Sony Sports Ten 5 HD; Sony Marathi, the Marathi general entertainment channel; Sony LIV - the digital entertainment VOD platform and Studio NEXT the independent production venture for original content and IPs for TV and digital media. The Company reaches out to over 700 million viewers in India and is available in 167 countries.  

The Company is recognised as an employer of choice within and outside the media industry. It is a recipient of several awards, including India’s Best Companies to Work For 2021 by the Great Place to Work® Institute, India, ‘Aon Best Employers India’ awards in recognition of the company’s unique workplace culture and exceptional people practices, consistently ranking amongst India’s Top 10 Companies with Best Health & Wellness Practices by SHRM & CGP Partners and listed by Working Mother & AVTAR as one of the 100 Best Companies for Women in India.  

The Company is in its 28^th year of operations in India. Besides having overseas subsidiaries, it has a subsidiary MSM-Worldwide Factual Media Private Limited, and an affiliate, Bangla Entertainment Private Limited in India. 

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