BCCI Media Rights: The Indian Cricket Board have decided to forego a payment worth Rs 78.90 crore from Star India from their previous media rights agreement. BCCI and Star Sports were embroiled in a tussle, with Star claiming a discount worth Rs 139 crore due to COVID-19. However, ahead of the new BCCI Media Rights Tender, the Indian cricket board has settled the matter, reducing one match from their previous agreement. Follow India Cricket Team LIVE Updates on InsideSport.IN.
“It has been resolved to waive off (one) match from the scope of Star India Private Limited under the BCCI-Star Media Rights Agreement dated 5th April 2018 for BCCI International and Domestic Matches. The total number of matches during the rights period has now been reduced from 103 to 102,” read a BCCI note as per PTI.
Earlier, BCCI had held an emergency meeting in January to discuss the Star Sports issue. Star, which had paid Rs 6138.1 for India’s international and domestic cricket rights for the 2018-2023 period, had asked for an approximate Rs 130 crore discount.
The MRA (Media Rights Agreement) for the previous cycle ended on March 31. The said agreement had an indicative schedule of 102 games, but BCCI ended up organising 103 games in the same cycle. As a result, the Indian cricket board decided to waive one match fee.
Disney Star had bid different amounts per game for different years in the previous cycle: Rs 46 crore per game for 2018-19, Rs 47 crore per game for 2019-20, Rs 46 crore per game for 2020-21, Rs 77 crore per game for 2021-2022 and Rs 78.90 crore per game for 2022-23. The amount of the final year has been applied to the waiver.
With the current deal with Disney-Star expired, BCCI is in the process of floating the tender. However, unlike last time, BCCI is set to separate TV and digital rights after an overwhelming response from IPL Media Rights. The Indian Cricket Board has hired an external agency to finalise the process. With India set to play 20 Tests, 21 ODIs and 31 T20s at home under the 2023-27 FTP, BCCI expects a great deal once again.
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