Willow TV, the primary broadcaster for cricket in North America, has bagged exclusive media rights in the United States for the upcoming edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL).The Times Internet owned TV Channel previously broadcast the lucrative T20 league in 2014 as well and set cricket viewership records in the United States.

Expressing his delight after bagging the rights, Vijay Srinivasan, CEO of Willow, said the ever-increasing fan base for cricket in the United States will have a gala time when the tenth edition of the IPL begins on April 5.

“Willow is delighted to bring exclusive live coverage of the VIVO IPL 2017 to our viewers across television and digital platforms,” said Vijay Srinivasan.

“Viewer interest for cricket in the US stands at unparalleled levels, as over 1.4 million households watched the ICC World Twenty20 on Willow in 2016. We look to continue to set new all-time high ratings this year. The IPL is the crown jewel of professional Twenty20 tournaments, and cricket fans in the US are in for a treat when the tournament kicks off on April 5,” he added.

Defending champions Sunrisers Hyderabad and Royal Challengers Bangalore will take on each other in the season’s curtain-raiser on April 5 in Hyderabad. The much-awaited season will feature 60 matches, played over 47 days in multiple venues across India before it comes to an end on May 21.