Facebook, Google to face stiff competition in race for BCCI digital rights

The popularity of Indian cricket has grown by leaps and bounds in the recent past which can be judged by its collaborations with huge sponsors over the years. The selling of IPL rights to Star India with such a huge bid was an epitome of what to expect in the forthcoming years. The war for BCCI digital and online media rights seem to have heated with as many as six contenders going for the e-Auction that is staged to take place on April 3.

The list features the Social media giant Facebook, search giant Google who is to face a stiff competition from Mukesh Ambani led Reliance Jio Infocomm Limited. Star TV and Sony Pictures Network (SPN) can’t either be ignored given they are expected to remain front-runners for the global television rights. The BCCI postponed the auction from March 27 so as to clarify about the necessary instructions needed to be supplied to the those who had picked up the tender document. The rights are to sold for the bilateral series staged in the next five years.

Various rights packages at stake

It is pleasing to see some of the marketing giants throwing their hat into the ring for several rights packages at stake. The auction will be held for the following packages: A) Global Television Rights plus ROW Digital Rights Package; B) Indian Subcontinent Digital Rights Package; C) Global Consolidated Rights Package. The base price for the digital rights for the first of five years per match has been pegged at Rs 8 cr and for the next four years at Rs 7 cr per match. The base price for the television rights for the first year is Rs 35 cr per match and Rs 33 cr per match for the next four years.

Facebook, who made the highest bid for IPL digital media rights last time, but lost to Star India due to their consolidated Rs 16,347.5 cr winning a bid. The biggest social media platform would be well prepared this around to seal their maiden collaboration with Indian cricket through BCCI but they need to wary of Google who has picked up the tender document and is expected to make a serious attempt on its own.

However, if the sources are to believe, “don’t be surprised if these digital giants have bigger plans than merely bidding for the internet rights” given Google thriving on the video platform through Youtube, Jio Infocomm launching an interactive Cricket Channel on JioTV App and Hotstar being an offshoot of Star India’s flourishing television market.