The England Cricket Board intend to take their whole portfolio of TV rights, including the new franchise-style T20 tournament, to the market this summer, although the new contracts will not start until 2020.
ECB chief executive Tom Harrison is determined to sell the rights three years in advance because he believes the middle of 2017 is the best place to position cricket within the dominant football rights cycle.
Harrison and his advisers are banking on the loser in the tussle between Sky and BT Sport for the next Champions League contract in March having a war chest to spend on cricket instead.