Wisden Online and CricInfo, two of cricket's best-known online businesses, are joining forces to create the world’s largest dedicated cricket website and online business.

The two companies have merged to form a new business, Wisden CricInfo, that will eventually result in the creation of a combined website featuring the best content from both sites.

The combined site will be the world’s largest and most comprehensive cricket website, and one of the biggest of all sports sites on the Internet. Its international user-base will exceed 19 million unique users, with access to an unrivalled depth and breadth of news, match coverage and archive material, plus interactive statistical data from thousands of matches, played in every cricket country around the world.

Robin Bevan, Wisden CricInfo’s new Chief Executive Officer, said the decision to bring the two companies together represented excellent news for cricket followers: "The merger is great news for cricket fans around the world: we will be combining Wisden’s editorial flair and depth of content with CricInfo’s extraordinary breadth of live match coverage, and jointly develop new products and services for the ever-growing online cricket audience."

Alex Chamberlen, who takes on the role of Head of UK Sales at Wisden CricInfo, said the company hoped to be the commercial partner of first choice for businesses targeting the cricket audience or requiring cricket content. "With over 19 million customers around the world we can offer advertisers, sponsors, and e-commerce partners a unique platform to promote their products and services. And the breadth and immediacy of our match coverage means that we can offer the business user an unmatched range of scoring, statistical and editorial services."

Access to most of the site content will remain free of charge, with both parties’ respective subscription services being retained pending the launch of a new subscription service later in the year. "CricInfo has built its business based upon free access to content. We certainly don't plan to change that - but we will look at introducing a subscription element for certain types of premium content later in the year," said Robin Bevan.

No financial details of the venture will be disclosed, but the new company goes forward with a clear business plan, ambitious but realistic financial targets, and no external debt burden.

Media enquiries:

Robin Bevan, CEO Wisden CricInfo Limited
Email: robin.bevan@wisden.com
Telephone: +44 20 7565 3261