News Headline
Reliance Jio, Times Internet throw their hats into the IPL telecast rights ring
MUMBAI: The names are spilling out about those who could be taking a stab at acquiring the broadcast television and digital streaming rights to the richest cricket league in the world – the Indian Premier League (IPL). Star India, Sony Pictures Network India (without prejudice), Amazon India, are amongst the names known to have coughed up $10,000 to pick up a copy of the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) tender document for the IPL.
Apparently the Mukesh Ambani-owned Reliance Jio has also called for the tender, according to news reports in The Times of India and The Mint. Other companies which the media says have reportedly evinced interest include: Times Internet, Super Sport (a South African network), Econet, OSN (Dubai), BT, Sky Sports (both from the UK), ESPN and Followon (US). Sources reveal that sports OTT platform VEQTA has also bought a tender. Though a report has stated that Zee TV is also in the running, it is not clear how it will do so as sources say the tender document strictly forbids any one involved in litigation with the BCCI from participating in the bidding.
The BCCI threw open the bids to potential bidders on 19 September with the last date for purchasing the document being slotted as 18 October and last date of submission being 25 October.
The current bidding round will give the winner the television rights for 10 years, while the digital rights are being offered for five years.
