Bid in a box

At the auction for the media rights of the Indian Premier League for the next five years held in Mumbai on Monday, aspirants were required to submit their bids in two parts — a technical one that detailed the qualifications of the bidding company and a financial one with the actual amount. While most companies submitted their bids in rather heavy envelopes, when representatives of Star India walked up to submit the bid, most present were surprised. The bid papers came in a cardboard box. Many appeared puzzled; some couldn’t resist a laugh. BCCI CEO Rahul Johri, who was overseeing the auction process, commented he would need help to open the box.