India cricket: Pehla-Ten Sports bag Mideast territory

MUMBAI: The Pehla broadcast platform and Dubai-based Ten Sports have secured India cricket telecast rights for the Middle East region from Nimbus Sports for approximately $ 8-9 million.

The deal has been done in principle and Ten Sports began airing the matches from Day 3 of the just-concluded Nagpur Test.

According to a statement issued by Pehla, despite the huge cost of acquisition incurred by the Pehla-Ten Sports combine, the effect on the viewers has been kept to a minimum.

As a direct result of this, the subscription rates for all packages showcasing cricket, including Pehla Silver and Gold, e-Pehla Silver and Gold, FirstNet Sports and Gold and e-FirstNet Sports and Gold packages have been increased by Dh 4.

Ten Sports vice president programming Peter Hutton was quoted in a media report as saying, "We have always been very determined in our efforts in bringing top-class live cricket and other international sporting events to the viewers in the region. Perhaps it is this determination that has helped tilt the balance in favour of the Pehla-Ten Sports combine."

Hutton added that since Nimbus had to pay an astronomical amount to get the rights from BCCI, the television channels were expected to pay an equally high amount to obtain the rights from Nimbus.