Ten Sports acquires ICC rights

Asian pay-television broadcaster Ten Sports acquired rights in Pakistan for a package of International Cricket Council events in a four-year sublicensing deal with Pakistani state broadcaster PTV, from 2012 to 2015.

Ten Sports, owned by the Indian broadcaster Zee, won the rights to all ICC events until 2015 with a bid of $15m (€19.5m). Pakistani pay-television broadcaster Geo Super bid $5m. Ten’s deal covers cable and satellite rights in Pakistan.

Geo had successfully petitioned the Lahore High Court to force a sale by open tender, after PTV agreed a direct deal for the rights with Ten Sports in November without conducting an open and transparent bidding process.