An eventful day awaits media entities aiming to enrich their cricket content offerings, with the spotlight on today’s BCCI (Board of Control for Cricket in India) media rights auction. The auction will feature two distinct packages. These packages encompass TV and digital coverage rights. Notably, three prominent contenders—Sony, Star, and Viacom18—are vying for these lucrative rights in a bid to enhance their cricket content offerings.
While comparisons naturally gravitate towards the Indian Premier League (IPL) due to its unprecedented appeal to bidders, stakeholders are anticipating a more pragmatic bidding scenario in the auction for the 2023-2027 cycle. Nonetheless, experts predict a departure from the extravagant spending observed during IPL rights acquisition, indicating a shift towards a more measured valuation approach in the BCCI rights auction.
Here’s everything you need to know about today’s auction:
Format
E-auction
Broadcast Cycle
September 2023 to March 2028
Bidder Criteria
Companies must possess a net worth of Rs 1000 crore; BCCI allows consortium participation.
Packages and Base Prices
Package A: India Subcontinent Television Rights (Base Price: Rs 20 crore)
Package B: India Subcontinent Digital Rights + Rest of the World TV and Digital (Base Price: Rs 25 crore)
Combined Base Price per Game: Rs 45 crore
Note: The Invitation to Tender(ITT) outlines that if the combined package value falls below Rs 60 crore, BCCI retains the right to annul the process.
Anticipated Bidders and Stakes Involved
Disney Star, Sony Sports, and Viacom18 are the contenders. All exceed the Rs 1000 crore net worth criterion. Each already possesses a key cricket property. Sony Sports Network, rebranded from Sony Pictures Sports Network, holds World Cup TV rights through a merger with Zee Sports. Disney Star has digital rights for the World Cup and IPL TV rights. Viacom 18, likely the frontrunner, holds IPL digital rights. Media experts suggest Viacom18 is focused on digital rights, while Sony aims to bolster their premium cricket content. Although Sony lost the title sponsorship bid, they value BCCI rights to enhance their reach. As per experts, if Star wins the television rights, it will be a win since they already have IPL in their TV arsenal, but given monetization has been a roadblock when it comes to the securing expensive media rights, if Star fails today it is just a missed opportunity rather than a financial loss.