Sky Sports, Supersport take interest in IPL rights

NEW DELHI: The IPL media rights for the next five-year cycle, which might fetch the BCCI over ₹50,000 crore, has also attracted interest from international broadcasters such as Sky Sports UK and South Africa’s Supersport, who have reportedly picked up bid documents. Some of the known names that have already picked up the ITT (invitation to tender) are Viacom-18, Zee Entertainment (allowed after withdrawing cases against BCCI), Sony, Dream11, Star (current rights holder), making it an intense battle.

While picking up ITT document doesn’t necessarily mean that the broadcasting giants will put in a final bid, but with the BCCI segregating media rights* into four distinct packages with no composite bids allowed like last time, Sky and Supersport could bid for the ‘Rest of the World’ TV rights.

The four categories this time for the rights are: TV Rights for Indian subcontinent, Digital Rights, 18 games (inaugural game, weekend double headers, 4 play-off games) and Rest of the World.

The base price is marked at ₹32,890 crore and that’s why the digital consumption and smart segregation of packages will certainly take the valuation to above $7 billion, despite a noticeable viewer fatigue due to falling TRP numbers.

Unlike last time when Star’s composite bid of ₹16,347 crore won them the rights, this time the highest bidder in each individual category will be awarded the rights.