BCCI media rights: Google, Facebook, Jio in the race
Google, Facebook, Reliance Jio along with broadcasters such as Star India, Sony Pictures Network India and streaming service Yupp TV, will be competing each other in the first e-auction of BCCI's media rights, scheduled for April 3. These broadcasting rights will cover all the international matches that BCCI will host for men and women and domestic Indian cricket till 2023. Here are the details.
The first e-auction of BCCI media rights
MJunction, a joint venture of SAIL and Tata Steel, will help conduct the e-auction. Six companies including Star/Hotstar, Sony Pictures Network, Google, Facebook, Reliance Jio and Yupp TV, have enrolled with 'Invitation To Tender' and are expected to participate in the bidding. By 10 AM, the technical bids will have to be submitted by the bidders and e-auction will commence at 2 PM.
For digital and television rights
For the digital rights, BCCI has set the base price at Rs. 8 crore per match for the first year and Rs 7 crore per match for the next four years. For television rights, the base price for the first year is Rs 35 crore per match and Rs 33 crore per match for the next four years.
Why did the BCCI opt for an e-auction?
BCCI has opted for the e-auction primarily to eliminate the possibility of rigging. With e-auction, BCCI can ensure more transparency while offering a competitive-price discovering model that can help Board fetch the maximum price.
Google vs Facebook
Google is debuting in the bidding war for cricket rights in India. With 80 percent of Indian Internet users browsing YouTube, one can expect Google to use its video platform to broadcast live cricket. Also in the fray is Facebook which had bid $610 million to contest for the broadcasting rights to IPL in September last year, but had lost to Star India.
Reliance Jio may open its wallet for BCCI's media rights
Reliance Jio may also open its wallet for BCCI media rights, given the company had previously acquired digital rights for the 2018 Winter Olympics, which were showcased on its JioTV app. Further, for Nidahas Trophy, the company launched an interactive sports-experience on its platform.
Both broadcasters will enter the auction with all guns blazing
Both Star and Sony are expected to indulge in a fierce bidding war, given both the broadcasters religiously cover cricket throughout the year. While Star has media rights for IPL, ICC, cricket in New Zealand, Asian Cricket Council among others, Sony has rights to seven cricket boards including Sri Lanka, South Africa, England, Australia, along with rights to Caribbean Premier League and Australia's Big Bash League.
