Franchises and PCB at loggerheads again ahead of PSL 2020 playoffs

Just few days before the start of the PSL 2020 playoffs, new issues have cropped up between the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) and the Pakistan Super League (PSL) franchises. Ahead of the remaining games of the tournament, the PSL franchises have been irked by the addition of the PSL in the international broadcasting rights for bilateral series.

According to a report, the PSL franchises’ owners have not been informed of what their shares would be in the new deal. PCB, on their part, have been maintaining silence over the issue after asking for two individuals who could take part in the advisory meetings. Last year, the PCB had granted the foreign media rights to Tech Front International FZE for the PSL from 2019 to 2021.

However, the deal was terminated by the PCB in September after Tech Front International FZE not only breached the contract but also failed to pay on time. Later, Tech Front had approached the London Court of International Arbitration over the issue before the PCB also approached the same body over the financial losses.

New tender irks PSL franchises

In the new tender published earlier this year, the PCB had advertised the international broadcasting rights for bilateral series from November 2020 to March 2023 alongside the PSL from 2021 to 2023.The tender has been deemed void since bids could not be received from several regions except for South Africa and will now be published again in the future.

The PSL franchises, however, are unhappy with the fact that the PSL had been advertised along with bilateral events, according to Cricket Pakistan. Initially, the board had insisted that the PSL rights were advertised with the rights of bilateral series in order to raise the overall value of the deal which is a troubling development for PSL franchises who have been facing constant losses.

Later, the board had asked for two individuals to take part in the advisory meetings but has not responded after receiving four names for the meeting. While the board has remained silent over the entire issue, its Director Media Samiul Hasan Burney, while talking to Daily Express, insisted that officials were not present because of the holiday.