Cricinfo has been bought by ESPN, bringing to an end a fourteen year run. The acquisition was announced by ESPN and the Wisden Group earlier this morning.
History
The 14-year-old Cricinfo operation was one of the first content sites on the internet and has built a loyal following among cricket fans. After few years of independent existence, Cricinfo received its first major investment in 1999 from Sify, an Indian IT company, which acquired a majority stake in the company. It changed hands four years later when the Wisden Group, which then ran its own cricket website, wisden.com, bought it.
Explaining the decision, Mark Getty, director of the Wisden Group, said:
Cricinfo has developed into a significant cricket brand in its own right, combining huge global popularity with strong commercial success. ESPN is a major sports broadcaster and international rights holder and will provide the perfect environment for Cricinfo to further realise its enormous potential.
The site’s reach, authority and brand recognition is unrivalled in the online cricket world. I have been using this site from last 6 years.
