PCB-PTV Conflict: PM Imran Khan settles dispute outside of court – both PCB, PTV to withdraw lawsuits – Pakistan PrimeMinister and former captain Imran Khan has intervened to solve a long-standing dispute between the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) and the state-run broadcaster PTV. Both parties had filed lawsuits against each other, but are now expected to withdraw the same following PMO’ assistance. The share of profits has been changed accordingly, which ultimately led to the settlement of the case outside of court.
PCB-PTV Conflict: PM Imran Khan settles dispute outside of court – both PCB, PTV to withdraw lawsuits
As per ESPNCricinfo, the revenue sharing model between PCB and PTV has seen a significant change with PCB allowed to take 72% of the share while PTV will take 28% out of the commercial deals. Previously, the deal was agreed at 57.5 – 42.5 in favour of PCB. The two parties had signed the deal in September last year, with another deal with I-Media Communications Services to ensure that PCB’s content was not shared illegally via cable network.
The deal could have potentially had them earn in excess of USD $200 million, but new PCB chairman Ramiz Raja had last month decided had unilaterally suspended the deal with PTV and terminated the I-Media contract to open a new tender for the media rights for Pakistan’s upcoming series against West Indies and Australia.PTV subsequently filed a lawsuit with the Lahore Civil Court, while PCB went to the high court in a bid to settle the matter quickly and issue tenders for the upcoming series against West Indies and Australia.
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PCB-PTV Conflict: PM Imran Khan settles dispute outside of court – both PCB, PTV to withdraw lawsuits
PCB was keen to go into fresh bidding and bring in a new broadcaster as PTV, the state broadcaster, was unhappy with this and had a number of meetings to renegotiate with PCB, citing that they had never violated their agreements or defaulted on their payments. While an agreement with PTV has been met, the deal between PCB and I-Media now stands terminated due to non-compliance on payments.
The Pakistan government is yet to implement the Digital Pakistan policy, one part of which regulates the illegal cable operator business, though the plan is to have it done within a year. PTV’s deal ended a long-running broadcast relationship between the PCB and Ten Sports, and there were no potential overseas takers at the time as international rights for PCB’s home series were sold separately to various channels around the world.
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