BCCI sets digital base price higher than TV for bilateral matches

economictimes.indiatimes.com:

BCCI) has set a higher base price for digital rights compared with TV while lowering the overall base price to Rs 45 crore per match for the upcoming media rights cycle compared to Rs 61 crore per match that Disney Star paid in the recently concluded cycle. In cricket, the base price for digital rights has never been higher than TV rights in the past. As per the tender released by the BCCI on Wednesday, the board has set a base price of Rs 20 crore per match for Package A, which comprises the TV rights for the Indian subcontinent.

Package B, which includes global digital rights and the rest of the world TV rights, has a base price of Rs 25 crore per match. The base price for Indian Premier League TV and digital rights for India was Rs 49 crore and Rs 33 crore per match, respectively. The special digital rights package comprising select IPL matches carried a base price of Rs 16 crore per match.

The base price has been reduced to allow maximum participation from all the key players in the markets, considering the challenges faced by certain media companies, industry experts said. The e-auction will commence on August 31, with Disney Star, Viacom 18 and Sony Pictures Networks India expected to battle it out for both TV and digital rights. The media rights tender has been floated for five years (2023-28), covering 88 matches.

At Rs 45 crore per match, the overall base price comes to Rs 3,960 crore. While lowering the base price, the BCCI has set a threshold of Rs 60 crore per match, or Rs 5,280 crore for the 88 matches. If the consolidated bids fall below Rs 60 crore per match, the BCCI reserves the right to cancel the tender process.