Promising a "historic" new beginning, the BCCI on Sunday announced an open tender process for allocating the cash-rich IPl's global broadcasting rights for 10 years, a move that conforms to the lodha Committee recommendations on transparency in business deals.
"We are happy to announce the tender process for IPl Global Media Rights (TV and Digital) for next 10 years," BCCI President Anurag Thakur announced.
"IPl is now the fastest growing league, most popular cricket league in the world and sixth most popular sports league in the world so it is very important for us to make it transparent when we announce the next tender process because it is going to be a historic bid in the history of cricket world.”
Currently, the IPl's media rights are held by Sony Pictures Network India, a deal that comes to an end after the event's next edition in 2017. According to the invitation, different packages for Television and Digital will be on offer, which includes Indian Subcontinent TV rights for 2018-2027, Indian Subcontinent Digital rights will be for five seasons from 2018-2022 and there will a five minutes delay for TV transmission.
As part of the process of bidding, BCCI said there will be no obligation for the Indian Board to accept the highest financial bid and BCCI retains the discretion to amend process at any time. Explaining the time table for the bidding, BCCI CEO Rahul Johri said October 18 will be the last date for purchase of tender and October 25 will be the last date for bid submission.
I've no interest in ICC: Thakur
Thakur made it clear that unlike his predecessor Shashank Manohar, he is not "interested" in any ICC post and his sole focus at present is to protect the rights of Indian cricket.
Hinting at Manohar, Thakur said, "One who had to go to ICC have already gone long back. I have no interest and I am happy here with BCCI and nothing is more important for me than India. We have to protect the rights of India. If you don't think about India then it will be difficult to think about any other country. Today there is India, so world cricket is growing," Thakur said.
Thakur has been at loggerheads with Manohar over allocation of USD 135m for Champions Trophy, two-tier system and centralised marketing of the broadcast rights of bilateral series.
The BCCI President said: "There is no confrontation with ICC. For the benefit of cricket across the globe whatever steps need to be taken, BCCI have taken those. If the account or budget has been passed and India, the country which has the biggest market, is not included in the finance committee and all of a sudden you come to know about it then you have to look into it.”