The Board of Control for Cricket in India has launched a tender process for broadcast and digital media rights to all international and domestic matches played in the country, with contracts set to be awarded via an online auction process.
The BCCI is marketing rights for a five-year period commencing April 1, 2018. Pay-television broadcaster Star India currently has the contract having paid Rs38.51bn (€492m/$602m) for broadcast, online and mobile rights to Indian cricket.
The tender covers all international matches staged by the BCCI in India and domestic tournaments including the Ranji Trophy and the Irani Cup.
Three packages are being offered – global television rights plus rest of the world digital rights, digital rights for the Indian subcontinent and a global consolidated package.
The deadline for submission of offers is March 27, with the online auction set to begin later that day.
The tender offers the potential for Star to tie-up rights to India’s major cricket properties. In September, Star was awarded television and digital rights for the 2018 to 2022 editions of the Indian Premier League under an agreement with the BCCI worth Rs164.375bn.
Star acquired all rights packages on offer to oust Sony Pictures Networks India as the main broadcaster of the Twenty20 competition.