Zee Sony merger: BCCI may wait for Zee-Sony merger to sell media rights to bilateral cricket matches in India

The Cricket Control Board of India is unable to issue tender documents for the sale of media rights to Indian cricket teambilateral series immediately after Indian Premier Leagueas the richest cricket board can wait until the Zee-Sony merger is completed, according to industry sources.

BCCI may want to wait a while and see how the Zee-Sony merger goes before launching a tender for future double-sided series featuring the Indian cricket team, one source said on condition of anonymity. In fact, it’s also unclear if BCCI will be selling the rights for four years (2023 to 2027) or another time period, the source added.

Zee Entertainment Enterprises It is reportedly in talks with creditors to pay off debts and overcome the final hurdle to complete a merger with Sony Pictures Networks India that will see India become a $10 billion media giant. Sony Corp. Chairman and CEO Kenichiro Yoshida recently said that the pending merger between Sony and Zee is expected to be completed by the first half of the current fiscal year ending March 31st.

BCCI did not respond to inquiries.

Sony aired IPL on their channel from the first episode until 2017 when Star India (now Disney Star) acquired the rights. Sony Sports Network also owns the rights to broadcast games from England, Pakistan and Sri Lanka.

Disney Star owns the rights to broadcast matches on television and on its digital platform for all ICC events. He also has the rights to the Asian Cup until this year.

In 2018 star sport India has outbid Confidence and Sony to win BCCI media rights, for both television and digital platforms, for Rs 6,138.1 crore. The rights were for the period from 2018 to 2023. BCCI will want to put out a tender before the Asian Cup scheduled for this year, but it will want to make sure Merger with Zee Sony the source said.

The 2023 Asian Cup will be hosted by Pakistan and is scheduled for September.

Another key hurdle at the moment is how BCCI will package the rights, the source said, given the board may want to get the most bang for their buck after splitting the five-year IPL rights between Reliance and Disney Star, who paid a combined Rs 48,390. crore in an electronic auction to select digital and television rights.

ET previously reported that BCCI will split TV broadcast and digital rights for India’s upcoming double-sided series. Some industry experts have said that property will be valued at more than Rs 15,000 crore, or nearly $2 billion, over the next four or five years.

However, a source told ET Online that the mix of formats (Tests, ODIs and T20Is) in a future match will determine the score.

It is also reported that BCCI is still working on whether they will choose an electronic auction or other methods. The BCCI may also separate the rights of men and women after the launch of Women’s Rights. Premier A league that had some commercial value.

According to media reports, some industry experts believe that BCCI is not confident in getting large sums from the sale of bilateral rights, as broadcasters in the past could not return the full amount they invested in each match.

Under the ICC Future Tours Program (FTP), the Indian men’s cricket team is scheduled to play 38 Tests, 42 One-Day Internationals and 61 T20 Internationals between 2023 and 2027.