Broadcaster will pay same amount for matches not involving Indian cricket team

MUMBAI: Potential bidders waiting to grab the broadcast and/or digital rights for BCCI’s bilateral cricket commitments over the next five years starting 2018 have written to the Board over a specific clause in the Invitation To Tender (ITT) that pertains to any tournament during the rights period that may involve more than two teams.


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The bidders find it unfair that the BCCI has offered the same base price – as of a bilateral game involving India – for matches that may involve more than two teams. For instance, if India happens to host Sri Lanka and Bangladesh in a triangular series, the bidders don’t see logic in paying the same money for a Sri Lanka vs Bangladesh match that they will be paying for matches between India and Sri Lanka or India and Bangladesh.

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Their argument remains that if a broadcaster is paying Rs 50 cr, for example, for a match that involves India then it will not make “business sense” paying the same amount for a match involving Sri Lanka and Bangladesh.

This worry, on part of potential broadcasters, nevertheless remains only a conceivable worry for now. India last hosted a triangular series back in 2003-04 – the TVS Cup involving Australia and New Zealand – and the next Future Tours Program (FTP) of the

International Cricket Council

(

ICC

), approved by its member boards, doesn’t have any triangular or multiteam tournaments scheduled in India.

The BCCI, on its part, says the ITT that was floated in 2009 for bilateral rights – that was retained by

Nimbus Communications

through the first rights of refusal – is the same one that has been floated this time again. “We haven’t changed anything. And as is the case with Pakistan – which has not been included in the ITT because of the non-possibility of any cricket with the neighbours until the government approves – the FTP categorically mentions the number of matches according to their formats to be scheduled during the rights period.

However, any potential broadcaster is well within rights to raise the query simply because advertisement revenue will allow the broadcaster to make up for the per-match money committed to the BCCI. However, the same advertisement revenue will potentially take a hit in matches that may not involve the Indian team.

“Take the England or Australia rights for example. A broadcaster can be expected to pay a good amount for matches to be played there and involving India. But he will not pay the same amount for an Ashes or any other tournament that doesn’t feature in India. That’s how it needs to work,” says one of the potential bidders.

The base price for television rights for the first of the five-year rights period has been pegged at Rs 35 cr and while it comes down to Rs 33 cr for the next four years. The base price for digital rights for the first five years is Rs 8 cr and Rs 7 cr for the next four years.