Preferred start time from next year for IPL 8 PM, BCCI conveys its message to prospective broadcasters

The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has informed the prospective broadcasters that it will prefer the start time of 8 PM for IPL matches from the 2023 season. The matches are currently commencing at 7:30 PM IST and the timings are advanced on the request of Star Sports, the official broadcasters for the last five years. The broadcasting rights are up for grabs for the 2023-27 five-year cycle and the BCCI has cleared its preference to the interested parties.

In the first 10-year cycle, the IPL matches used to start at 4 PM (on the double-header days) and at 8 PM. The current official broadcaster Star’s point of contention to start at 7:30 PM was the viewership soaring and at the same time, monetisation can be high. Accordingly, the timings of the afternoon matches also preceded to 3:30 PM.

“BCCI’s preferred start times for double-headers being 4 pm and 8 pm Indian Standard Time,” BCCI communicated to interested parties, who are willing to bid for the television and digital rights of IPL, according to Cricbuzz.

BCCI extended the last date for the purchase of ITT document by 10 days

Meanwhile, the BCCI extended the last date for the purchase of the ITT document by 10 days up to May 20, 2022. “Pursuant to requests from various interested parties, BCCI has now decided to further extend the date for purchasing the ITT documents till May 20, 2022. The procedure for purchasing the ITT documents is laid down in Exhibit I. All other terms contained in the Exhibit I (including the non-refundable ITT fee amount) shall be applicable herein,” the BCCI had said in a statement.

As for the television rights and digital rights bidding of IPL for the next five-year cycle, the process is set to take place on June 12. BCCI has fixed a combined base price of INR 32,890 crore for the four bouquets it has put up for sale. Reportedly, Star India, Viacom 18, Sony, Amazon, Zee, Dream 11, Supersports in South Africa and Sky in the UK have bought the ITT document.