According to Jay Shah, the BCCI Honorary Secretary, Viacom 18 has secured the BCCI’s media rights in both TV and digital for the upcoming five years. In an online auction held on Thursday, Viacom18 outbid Sony Sports Network and Disney Star.
“Congratulations @viacom18 for winning the @BCCI Media Rights for both linear and digital for the next 5 years. India Cricket will continue to grow in both spaces as after @IPL, and @wplt20, we extend the partnership @BCCI Media Rights as well. Together we will continue to capture the imagination of Indian cricket fans,” said Shah on the social media platform “X”.
The Women’s Premier League (WPL) has TV and digital rights held by Viacom18 through its digital platform Jio Cinema and TV channel Sports18 till 2027. Viacom18 is a relative newcomer to the broadcasting industry. Additionally, it has the rights to broadcast Cricket South Africa games in India from 2024 to 2031.
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Disney Star, which had obtained the television and digital rights for the 2018–23 cycle for INR 6138 crore, has lost the BCCI bilateral media rights to Viacom18. For INR 3851 crores, Disney Star had acquired the rights to broadcast Indian cricket in the nation from the 2012–18 season.
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“Also, a big thank you to @starindia @DisneyPlusHS for your support over the years. You played a key role in making India Cricket reach its fans across the globe,” added Shah, also the President of the Asian Cricket Council (ACC).
In keeping with the IPL media rights sale, the BCCI has chosen an electronic auction for the bilateral media rights, with a base price of INR 20 crore for India television rights and INR 25 crore for digital rights for India and the rest of the globe.
With 88 matches total, it increased the value of the combined rights to INR 45 crore each game for the 2023–28 cycle. The three-match ODI series against Australia from September 22–27, a warm-up for the Men’s ODI World Cup, will kick off Viacom18’s cycle of airing India’s games.
-IANS
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