BCCI to issue tender for the IPL television and digital rights

As IPL 2017 has reached the sunset, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has announced that on July 17th, the issue of tenders for the upcoming IPL television and digital rights will be held. The rights will have a validity of five years. The rights of the current edition will come to an end after the conclusion of this year’s IPL.

The discussions involving the tender process were scheduled to take place until the altercation between the BCCI and the Lodha Committee. After due deliberation with the Committee of Administrators, the governing body of the IPL has finalised the timelines for the issue of tenders in a meeting in Hyderabad on Saturday.

Former Comptroller and Auditor General of India Vinod Rai and the present chairman of the CoA has remarked that he has confidence in the process and “would like to assure all prospective participants the highest level of transparency and accountability.”

Mr Rai was appointed by the Supreme Court of India to make sure that BCCI was in line with the Lodha Committee recommendations. The chairman of the IPL, Rajiv Shukla has also said, “I’m pleased that both the governing council and CoA members have finalised the timelines for the next rights period. The early announcement will also help the prospective bidders/service providers to prepare well.”

CEO speaks

The television rights are currently held by Sony Pictures Network India (SPNI) has held the rights for the past 10 editions as opposed to the media rights which are generally issued for only a period lasting five years.

BCCI CEO Rahul Johri remarked, “In our country, television is very well established. If you look at most cricket tenders, eight years-ten years have been the norm. That’s why we went for ten years. The area where trends are changing very fast is digital. That’s why we have reduced digital to five years.”

The title sponsorship rights of the currently held by Vivo, for the past two years and will come to an end with the final on Sunday. Along with that, the Request for Proposal (RFP) for the IPL Event Services contract will be issued on June 12.

The BCCI has made it clear that from the next year, IPL will have a whole new look. They are leaving no stones unturned in making sure it happens with a fresh auction with all the players going under the hammer, a new title sponsor, a new television and media sponsor. The BCCI will do everything in its power to make sure the whole IPL juggernaut rolls on without a hitch.