For the 2023-2027 cycle of the Indian Premier League, Disney Star India has retained the TV rights and Viacom18 has secured the internet rights after two days of intensive bargaining (IPL).
The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has collected Rs 46,000 crore from the e-auction, with Package A (Indian subcontinent TV rights) and Package B (Indian subcontinent digital rights) bringing in Rs 44,075 crore each. Package C rights have already attracted bids totaling Rs 1800 crore. Disney Star India retained the Package A rights for Rs 23,575 crore, while Viacom18 won the digital rights with a winning bid of Rs 20,500 crore.
After winning Package A, Disney Star challenged Viacom18 in a second round of digital rights auction. Despite intense bidding by Disney Star, Viacom18 retained the digital rights, with the per-match value of Package B reaching Rs 50 crore.
For the Package A rights, Disney Star is paying Rs 57.5 crore each match. The BCCI will earn a total of Rs 107.5 crore each match from the Package A and Package B rights.
“For the next five years, Star has the Indian TV rights to the Indian Premier League (IPL), while Viacom18 has the digital rights. Only the value of Indian TV and digital rights each game adds up to 107.5 crore per game. With these bids, one broadcaster’s monopoly in the IPL comes to an end “PTI spoke with a top BCCI official.
Today, the BCCI is likely to make a formal announcement regarding the winners.
With the winners of Packages A and B determined, attention has switched to Package C rights, which include 98 non-exclusive games. If the total number of matches played is 74, there will be 18 non-exclusive games. If the number of matches is increased to 94, the number of special package matches will be reduced to 22.
Package C comprises the first match, playoff matchups, and double-header matches, all of which will begin between 7 and 9 p.m.
Package C had attracted bids of Rs 1813 crore by the end of the second day of the e-auction. On a base price of Rs 16 crore, the per-match value has increased to Rs 18.5 crore. During the current cycle, Package C will have a total of 98 matches.
The Package C rights are once again being fought over by Disney Star and Viacom18. Viacom18, as the winner of Package B rights, will have the opportunity to offer a 5% greater rights fee than the highest bid price for Package C once the winner for Package C is determined.
Viacom18, on the other side, would like to ensure that the Package C rights do not go to a competitor. If Viacom18 wins Package C, the IPL matches will be available exclusively on Viacom18’s digital platforms.
It’s unclear whether Sony Pictures Networks India (SPNI), which was beaten out by Disney Star and Viacom18 for Package C, will bid for it. Bidding for Package C and D rights will continue on the third day of the e-auction.
Five geographical groupings are included in Package D rights. International players such as Sky Sports and SuperSport will be interested in this bundle. Times Internet, which is represented in the United States through Willow Cricket, is also involved.
Rest of Asia, Australia, Canada, the Caribbean, Central and Southern America, Israel, and New Zealand are included in Territory Grouping A. The Middle East and North Africa are included in Territory Grouping B. South Africa and Sub-Saharan Africa are included in Territory Grouping C. The United Kingdom and the Republic of Ireland, as well as Continental Europe, are included in Territory Grouping D. For the United States of America, Territory Grouping E includes TV and digital rights.
