ZEE TV Comes To America, Cricket Here Could Benefit

By Orin Davidson
The super rich ZEE television company has come to America but the cricket fraternity here may have to wait a while to benefit in a tangible way.

ZEE TV officials toast the launching of the channel at the Ustav restaurant in Manhattan.

However, fans of Asian cricket and sport there in general will have a feast on the Dish Network systems which is now providing a 24-hour ZEE sports channel.

At the launching of the service, Wednesday evening in Manhattan, officials of ZEE TV USA and Echo Star Communications system, which owns Dish Network, said it is their stated intention to support United States cricket in terms of sponsorship and other areas, but it will take time, presumably when the money starts to flow from the US market considered the biggest market in the world.

Associate Director of Echo Star’s South Asia Services Tarun Pal said they plan to help promote the development of leagues around the country but when pressed did not elaborate.

ZEE is also not averse to televising domestic United States cricket, but the infrastructure will have to be upgraded. In the initial instance it was pointed out that some video coverage could be carried on the channel’s website.

Apart from cricket, ZEE will also have Indian soccer, tennis, golf and motor sports on its subscription channel.

As a result the regular pay per view cricket provided on Dish Network will be carried exclusively on the ZEE channel which can be found on Channel 576. It will carry a monthly fee.

Most West Indian fans in America follow cricket around the world on Dish Network.
The current ICL professional Twenty20 league being staged in India and which involves retired triple world record holder Brian Lara and former Pakistan captain Inzamam ul Haq, is currently carried on ZEE.

ZEE Network is seen in 80 countries around the world and plans are on to have it in the West Indies among other regions of the world.
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