Indian Subcontinent
New Zealand Cricket strikes backloaded deal with Sony
New Zealand Cricket struck a new long-term deal with Sony Pictures Networks which is a slight increase on the current fee, but which will rise strongly if a second India series takes place over the term.
ICC ‘exceeds expectations’ with Pakistan deals to 2025
PTV and sports newcomer Hum Network secured International Cricket Council rights in Pakistan over the next two years, agreeing to pay an increase on previous deals for the rights.
ICC continues rights drive with MTV deal in Sri Lanka
MTV Channel (Private) Limited has acquired rights in Sri Lanka to International Cricket Council (ICC) competitions until the end of 2025, leaving New Zealand as the only main market where a deal is yet to be announced for the current cycle.
PCB nets strong fee for NZ series but international deals flounder
The Pakistan Cricket Board will receive a healthy rights fee for domestic rights to the upcoming New Zealand series in a deal with ARY, though is struggling to strike long-term agreements internationally.
Sony to take over NZC rights in India from Amazon
Sony Pictures Networks has secured New Zealand Cricket rights in India from May 2024 to April 2031 in a move which will see Amazon depart from its experiment showing cricket in the country after 2026
PTV, Tower Sports to share Pakistan rights to ICC events
PTV, the state broadcaster in Pakistan, and media group Tower Sports have acquired non-exclusive rights in the country to leading tournaments of the International Cricket Council over the next two years
Reliance tightens grip on Viacom18 after buying out Paramount stake
Indian conglomerate Reliance Industries, chaired and run by business mogul Mukesh Ambani, will buy out Paramount Global’s 13-per-cent stake in media group Viacom18 for $517m (€472m).
F1 swaps D2C for FanCode deal in India
Streaming platform FanCode has secured exclusive F1 rights in India for 2024 and 2025, after the open-wheel racing series went direct-to-consumer in 2023.
Reliance, Disney Star agree $8.5bn India media mega-merger
Disney Star and Reliance Industries, majority owner of Viacom18, today announced the merger of their Indian television and streaming assets, creating an $8.5bn media behemoth.
Zee claims $8.3m refund from Disney Star over ICC deal
The dispute between media groups Zee and Disney Star over their seemingly broken agreement for International Cricket Council (ICC) rights looks set to intensify, with Zee asserting that its counterpart…
ICC issues two-year ITT for rights in Pakistan, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka
The International Cricket Council has released an invitation to tender covering 2024 and 2025 for its media rights in Bangladesh, Pakistan and Sri Lanka, the last remaining major markets where it is yet…
Sony doubles fee to renew Uefa club competitions
Sony Pictures Networks will pay around double its current fee to shore up its football portfolio with a renewal of Uefa club competition rights in the Indian subcontinent from 2024-25 to 2026-27.
Zee seeks to withdraw from $1.4bn deal with Disney Star for ICC rights
An immediate consequence of the collapse in the proposed merger between Sony Pictures Networks and Zee Entertainment is that the latter now intends to withdraw its planned $1.4bn (€1.2bn) commitment to rival media group Disney Star towards rights fees for International Cricket Council events.
Sony-Zee $10bn merger off, legal threats issued on both sides
The planned $10bn (€9.2bn) mega-Indian media merger, two years in the making, between Sony Pictures Networks and Zee Entertainment was officially scrapped today (Monday).
PSL on sustainable path after growth in domestic deals
Despite systemic weakness in the Pakistani economy, and chronic instability at the Pakistan Cricket Board, the Pakistan Super League T20 competition is on a sustainable path after securing strong increases in domestic media rights fees for the next two seasons.
PSL nets strong increase in domestic media rights
Media group ARY, which owns pay-television broadcaster A Sports, has secured exclusive linear rights to the Pakistan Super League in 2024 and 2025 after outbidding its rivals at an auction and agreeing…
Disney Star and Reliance seek to dodge further ‘bloodbaths’ through merger
The proposed merger between Disney Star and Reliance is being driven to a great extent by the wish to avoid a repeat of the 2023 IPL, in which the two entities undercut each other, resulting in reduced advertising revenues.
Sony extends UFC rights in Indian subcontinent
The Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) has agreed a five-year contract extension with its rights-holder in India and the Indian subcontinent, media group Sony Pictures Networks India.