Viacom18 has bagged the media rights – both digital and television – to Indian cricket globally for INR 5963 crore approximately (USD 720.60 million approx.) for the period 2023-27. These rights extend to all the cricket the BCCI runs in the country, international and domestic, apart from the IPL.
Up against two competitors, Disney Star* and Sony, Viacom bid the highest in both digital and linear TV categories, in an e-auction conducted by the BCCI on Thursday. In the digital category Viacom bid INR 3101 crore (USD 374.70 million approx.), and it bid INR 2862 crore (USD 345.90 million approx.) for television rights.
Viacom, who takes over the BCCI media rights from Disney Star, already owns digital rights for the IPL, and both digital and TV rights for the WPL.
Viacom’s latest deal translates to an average per-match value of INR 67.75 crore, which is 12.92% higher than the INR 60 crore Star India had paid the BCCI in the previous cycle. For 2018-23, Disney Star, which was earlier Star India, had won worldwide rights to India’s games for INR 6138 crore (then USD 944 million), for a total of 102 international matches. This time, the BCCI listed 88 international matches for the rights period.
BCCI secretary Jay Shah tweeted the news, on Thursday evening.
Congratulations @viacom18 for winning the @BCCI Media Rights for both linear and digital for the next 5 years. India Cricket will continue to grow in both spaces as after @IPL, and @wplt20, we extend the partnership @BCCI Media Rights as well. Together we will continue toâ¦
— Jay Shah (@JayShah) August 31, 2023
More to follow…
*ESPNcricinfo and Disney Star are part of the Walt Disney Company.