ICC Media Release:

ICC announces requests for proposals data rights area; Seeks tie-up to 2011 for production and distribution of official ICC data from ICC events

The International Cricket Council has announced it is seeking requests for proposals (RFPs) from qualified companies interested in becoming the exclusive worldwide licensee of official ICC data.

The successful company will work closely with ICC to produce, market and distribute data from various ICC cricket events, including the ICC Cricket World Cup, the ICC Champions Trophy and the ICC World Twenty20.

This is the first time the ICC has looked for an official partner in this area. ICC will license the successful applicant to produce, market and distribute ICC match data to various B2B and B2C users. These rights to use this intellectual property will be licensed for the period up to 2012 in order to ensure that both ICC and its partner have a real incentive to invest in effective product and brand development.

“Licensed sports data is an area of increasing importance and its use by sports press and broadcasters is widening to include 'fan focused' offerings such as fantasy leagues,” said Campbell Jamieson, ICC General Manager – Commercial.

“Match statistics are embedded into a large number of existing products but their accuracy and reliability is not always guaranteed,” he said.

“Cricket is a sport in which scoring and statistics is a key ingredient for measuring performance. Athletes, commentators and fans are constantly seeking deeper levels of analysis and so investment in data is of growing significance. The ability for a business to promote its use of official ICC data in its product or service will give it a genuine advantage over its competitors” he said.

The deadline for proposals is Friday 12 December  2008 and interested parties should contact Doug Waller, ICC Business Development Manager, on +971 4 368 8318 or send an email to doug.waller@icc-cricket.com, to be sent a copy of the application pack.