Reliance-backed Viacom18 has bagged exclusive BCCI media rights in a five-year deal worth ₹5,963 crore. Viacom18 has secured both TV and Digital rights which extends to all the cricket the BCCI runs in the country, international and domestic, apart from the IPL between September 2023-March 2028.
The BCCI media rights tender by the governing body was floated for five years (2023-28), covering 88 matches. At ₹45 crore per match, the overall base price worked out to ₹3,960 crore.
On Thursday, the cricket body auctioned the TV and Digital rights for India’s home cricket broadcasting. Like the IPL media rights auction, BCCI auctioned the TV and Digital rights of the cricket home matches separately. Three of India’s biggest broadcasters, Sony, Disney Star and Viacom18, battled it out to win the rights.
Viacom18 won both digital as well as television rights, having agreed to shell out a price of ₹67.8 crore per game, thus outbidding Disney Star and Sony. Viacom18 broadcasts live action on its digital platform JioCinema and Sports18 television channel.
The TV component amounted to ₹32.5 crores per game (approx), while the digital valuation stood at ₹35.3 crores (approx), culminating in an aggregate sum of ₹67.8 crore, which is ₹7.76 crores, or 12.92% higher than the ₹60 crores that Disney Star had paid the BCCI in the previous cycle.
Viacom18 will broadcast a total of 88 bilateral matches (could go up to 102 matches) involving India over the course of 4.5 years in an agreement that starts with a three-match ODI series against Australia at the end of September, just before the ODI World Cup 2023 in India. The matches break up is 25 Tests, 27 ODIs and 36 T20Is.
In the last bid by BCCI, back in 2018, Star Sports India had outbid Viacom18 and Sony to win media rights, for both television and digital platforms, for Rs 6138.1 crore. The rights were for the period of 2018 to 2023 for a total of 102 international matches.
Viacom18 will expand its current media rights portfolio as it already has tournaments like IPL, WPL, Olympics 2024, SA20, Major League Cricket (MLC), Ultimate Table Tennis (UTT), Road Safety World Series, NBA, Diamond League, World Athletics Championships Budapest 2023, MotoGP, La Liga, Ligue1, Serie A, BGIS (E-Sports), Abu Dhabi T10, Indian Super League and top BWF events.
Disney+ Hotstar had earlier announced that the upcoming ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup 2023 will be made available as free-to-view to all mobile phone users accessing Disney+ Hotstar. The free offering is aimed to reach 540 million smartphone users, Disney said.
Sony Sports Network now holds the TV rights for the ICC World Cup for the next four years starting 2024, secured through its merger with Zee.
BCCI President, Roger Binny said, “The recent BCCI e-auction has unequivocally demonstrated the vigour of cricket in India. The remarkable journey of Indian cricket, its meteoric rise on the global sporting arena, owes its success to the unwavering trust that people have vested in the BCCI leadership and its dedicated workforce. With the staunch support and collaboration of every stakeholder within our cricketing ecosystem, I am confident that we will continue to propel the brand BCCI to uncharted territories on the global sports stage.”
BCCI Honorary Secretary, Jay Shah said, “It fills me with immense joy and a profound sense of pride to witness the remarkable growth of brand BCCI. Today’s e-auction has propelled BCCI into the upper echelons of per-match media rights valuation, marking a monumental stride in our journey. Throughout this process, we have steadfastly upheld the principles of transparency and fairness, ensuring that all stakeholders are treated equitably. I extend my heartfelt congratulations to Viacom18 for emerging successful in the e-auction, and I express my sincere gratitude to all the bidders who participated in this process. Their involvement underscores the industry’s confidence in India Cricket. I also want to acknowledge the role of market forces in reinforcing their belief and trust in us.”
“Our underlying goal remains to strike a harmonious equilibrium between cricket and commercial interests. BCCI remains deeply committed to nurturing sports development in India through the medium of cricket. The revenue generated from media rights is an essential catalyst for nurturing grassroots cricket across the nation—a cause that resonates deeply with us. It’s the legacy we leave behind and the positive impact we create in our country’s cricketing ecosystem that truly matters,” he added.
BCCI Vice President, Rajiv Shukla said, “It brings me great joy to welcome Viacom18 in the BCCI family, and I would like to express my sincere gratitude to all the bidders who exhibited their keen interest in becoming a part of India Cricket’s ongoing growth journey. Year after year, the narrative of Indian Cricket has been one of advancement and expansion, and I’m elated to witness the continuing commitment from all stakeholders. The unwavering faith demonstrated by India Inc. in Brand BCCI reaffirms the inherent value of investing in a property that has consistently exhibited growth across all dimensions. This resolute belief is a testament to the enduring appeal and potential of Indian Cricket, and it reinforces our collective determination to propel this sport to greater heights.”
BCCI Honorary Treasurer, Ashish Shelar said, “I want to take this moment to convey my profound gratitude to each and every bidder who participated in this significant process. Your engagement and interest reflect the vibrant ecosystem that surrounds India’s beloved sport of cricket. Furthermore, my heartfelt congratulations go out to Viacom18 for successfully securing a renewed partnership with the BCCI. The partnership between Viacom18 and BCCI is more than just a business endeavour; it signifies a shared commitment to enhancing the landscape of cricket and contributing to its enduring legacy. This alliance holds within its core the potential to shape narratives, inspire audiences, and redefine the benchmarks of success.”
BCCI Honorary Jt. Secretary, Devajit Saikia said, “It is with immense pleasure that I extend a warm welcome to Viacom18. I would also like to express my heartfelt appreciation to all the bidders who participated in this process, showcasing their enthusiasm to contribute to India Cricket’s ongoing journey of growth. The story of Indian Cricket has been one of continuous progress and evolution, and I am delighted to witness the unwavering commitment from our stakeholders. This resolute confidence stands as a testament to the enduring allure and potential of Indian Cricket, reaffirming our shared determination to elevate the sport to even greater heights.”
“Live sports consumption in India has sharply pivoted towards digital, and winning the global digital rights will help us further fuel this ascendancy. Additionally, winning the broadcast rights is an extension of our strategy as we will continue to serve quality and affordable content to all viewers as they continue to migrate from linear TV to digital screens,” Viacom18 Sports CEO, Anil Jayaraj said on winning BCCI media rights.
“We extend our heartfelt congratulations to the BCCI for a transparent and efficient ebidding process and to the winners for securing the bilateral media rights. Our disciplined bid was grounded in market forecasts and a long-term growth strategy. We remain committed to delivering top-tier sporting entertainment as we continue to see growing enthusiasm across various sports genres,” NP Singh, MD & CEO, Sony Pictures Networks India, said, congratulating the winners of the e-auction.
