BCCI apologizes for IPL broadcast rights delay

The Board of Cricket Control in India (BCCI) offered a “sincere apology” to all the stakeholders for “being unable” to go through with the final stage of the tender process for IPL broadcast rights. It goes on to reiterate that potential bidders had travelled not only from ‘all corners of the country’ but also from “outside as bids had to be submitted in person”.

It further talks about how the BCCI has “no control” over the deferral since the Supreme Court had appointed the Lodha committee as the “custodian of the entire process” and that the BCCI cannot “take any decision in the matter other than what the Committee recommends.”

The release goes on to highlight how the IPL had contributed “substantially” to the Indian economy and the tender process had been transparent with none of the stakeholders expressing any qualms. It then goes on to then talk about the Supreme Court’s intervention and their October 21 order, which entrusted the Lodha committee to take over the tender process and also about appointing an independent auditor to oversee proceedings.

The BCCI were originally scheduled to open and finalise the bids for television and digital rights on Tuesday. But, the bidding could not take place as scheduled after Lodha committee sent a letter from the Lodha committee asking the BCCI president Anurag Thakur to provide a ‘letter of compliance’ to ‘unreservedly comply’ with the Supreme Court’s order on October 21. This left BCCI with no option but to postpone the finalising of the deal, leaving the 18 bidders in the lurch and a cloud over the IPL.