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BCCI’s cricket media rights bonanza
MUMBAI: The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has forecast that it is going to take home a whopping 60 per cent plus more media rights income from cricket in the financial year 2016-2017. The figure it has kept in its sights is Rs 1036.80 crore.
In 2015-16, it had budgeted a figure of Rs 648 crore, and it easily got to it.
The board generated gross media rights and franchisee consideration receipts of Rs. 1069.75 crore in 2015-2016 as against Rs. 999.6 crore in 2014-2015 from the mega bonanza Idian Premier League (IPL). The jump, the board, says is due to an increase in media rights income which went up to Rs 738.06 crore from Rs 689.10 crore in 2014-2015. Of this Rs 689.10 crore (Rs 620.23 crore), came courtesy Multi Screen Media Ltd (now Sony Pictures Networks- SPN- India) for the television rights within India. Rs 48.96 crore (Rs 47.68 crore) was contributed by Times Internet and sublicensees for righ.
It generated Rs 25.31 crore from British Sky Broadcasting from the sale of its television, internet and mobile media rights for the UK, Ireland, Isle of Mann, Channel Islands and the European territories for the IPL. ESPN coughed up Rs 23.47 crore for the TV, audio, internet and mobile rights for the US and surrounding territories while Hotstar anted up Rs 48 crore for its delayed domestic streaming rights for India, and for audio and television, internet mobile and audio rights for some territories.
The board has reported a surplus of Rs 210.51 crore from the IPL in 2015-2016.
Additionally, BCCI’s gross media rights income from its international fixtures too went up has gone up from Rs. 388.80 crore last year to Rs. 648 crore in the current year, due to increase in the number of matches held in India, says BCCI honorary treasurer Anirudh Chaudhry, in the annual report.
He adds: “The cricket board has a surplus of income over expenditure of Rs. 111.83 crore as against Rs. 166.87 crore in the earlier year. This decrease in surplus is mainly due to distribution of additional amount due to associations, additional payments to players and absence of income from CLT-20 Tournament, in spite of increase in total income as compared to previous year.”
In the current financial year 2016-17, the BCCI’s budgeted surplus is estimated at Rs. 509.13 crore.
The BCCI in its annual report has stated that the Indian IPL, which is going into its tenth season has been valued at $4.5 billion (Rs 27,000 crore) and its ninth edition generated 102 crore impressions according to the Broadcast Audience Research Council. The valuation of the IPL brand was done by appraisal firm Duff & Phelps.
According to the board, the IPL clocked a cumulative reach of 361 Million viewers, making it a total of 52 per cent of TV viewing households who tuned into IPL 2016 on television. On top of that 1.5 million spectators turned up at the stadia to watch the action on the ground.
Additionally, the IPL is the fastest growing sports league in the world on microblogging site Twitter even when compared to Major League Baseball, NBA, NFL and EFA. The IPL fan following grew at a scorching pace of 300 per cent.
With the numbers that the BCCI is throwing up about the IPL one can really expect the TV rights slugfest between Star India, Sony Pictures Networks, Amazon (??) and Reliancd Jio (??) to get really fierce and set new benchmarks.
NEW DELHI: Hamdard Laboratories gathered a cross-section of India’s achievers in New Delhi on Friday, handing out the Hakeem Abdul Hameed Excellence Awards to figures who have left their mark across healthcare, education, sport, public service and the arts.
The ceremony, attended by minister of state for defence Sanjay Seth and senior officials from the ministry of Ayush, celebrated individuals whose work blends professional success with a sense of public purpose. It was as much a roll call of achievement as it was a reminder that influence is not measured only in profits or podiums, but in people reached and lives improved.
Among the headline awardees was Alakh Pandey, founder and chief executive of PhysicsWallah, recognised for turning affordable digital learning into a mass movement. On the sporting front, Arjuna Awardee and kabaddi player Sakshi Puniya was honoured for her contribution to the game and for pushing women’s participation onto bigger stages.
The cultural spotlight fell on veteran lyricist and poet Santosh Anand, whose songs have echoed across generations of Hindi cinema. At 97, Anand accepted the honour with characteristic humility, reflecting on a life shaped by perseverance and hope.
Healthcare honours spanned both modern and traditional systems. Manoj N. Nesari was recognised for strengthening Ayurveda’s place in national and global health frameworks. Padma shri Mohammed Abdul Waheed was honoured for his research-backed work in Unani medicine, while padma shri Mohsin Wali received recognition for his long-standing contribution to patient-centred care.
Education and social development also featured prominently. Padma shri Zahir Ishaq Kazi was honoured for decades of work in education, while former Meghalaya superintendent of Police T. C. Chacko was recognised for public service. Goonj founder Anshu Gupta received an award for his dignity-centred rural development initiatives, and the Hunar Shakti Foundation was honoured for empowering women and young girls through skill development.
The Lifetime Achievement Award went to former IAS officer Shailaja Chandra for her long career in public healthcare and governance, particularly in the traditional systems under Ayush.
Speaking at the event, Hamdard chairman Abdul Majeed said the awards were a tribute to those who combine excellence with empathy. “These awardees reflect Hakeem Sahib’s belief that healthcare, education and public service must ultimately serve humanity,” he said.
Minister Seth struck a forward-looking note, saying India’s young population gives the country a unique opportunity to become a global destination for learning, health and wellness by 2047.
The ceremony also featured the trailer launch of Unani Ki Kahaani, an upcoming documentary starring actor Jim Sarbh, set to premiere on Discovery on 11 February.
Instituted in memory of Unani scholar and educationist Hakeem Abdul Hameed, the awards have grown into a national platform that celebrates those building a more inclusive and resilient India. For one evening at least, the spotlight was not just on success, but on service with substance.
