BT Sport secure 2017-18 Ashes TV rights from rivals Sky Sports

BT Sport has grab the 2017-18 Ashes TV rights from rivals Sky Sports, according to the Daily Mail.

They’ve secured rights to Australia home matches for next five years in a contract believed to be costing the company around £16m a year.

The deal’s centrepiece is the Ashes clash in 2017-18, when the home side will be hellbent on regaining the urn.

Sky – who will pay £11m-a-match in a new Premier League deal – were not able to compete with BT’s £80m offer for cricket rights.

Sky’s Cricket coverage has grown in recent years and is second only to their Premier League coverage.

Sad to hear Sky have lost the Australian Ashes series to BT Sport. Think their cricket coverage is exceptional.

— (((Dan Hodges))) (@DPJHodges) August 23, 2015

BT recently won the rights to the Champions League and FA Cup from Sky and ITV.

England win the Ashes and so do BT Sport securing rights for next Australia series down under…see mailonline

— charlie sale (@charliesale) August 23, 2015