MUMBAI: Viacom 18 has bagged the BCCI media rights in both TV and digital for the next five years, announced Jay Shah, the BCCI Honorary Secretary. Viacom18 beat competition from Sony Sports Network and Disney Star in an e-auction held on Thursday.
“Congratulations @viacom18 for winning the @BCCI Media Rights for both linear and digital for the next 5 years. India Cricket will continue to grow in both spaces as after @IPL, and @wplt20, we extend the partnership @BCCI Media Rights as well. Together we will continue to capture the imagination of Indian cricket fans,” said Shah on the social media platform “X”.
Viacom18, a relative newcomer in the broadcasting world through its TV channel Sports18 and digital platform Jio Cinema, is also the holder of TV and digital rights to the Women’s Premier League (WPL) till 2027. It also has the rights to Cricket South Africa matches to be broadcasted in India from 2024-31.
Viacom18 has taken the BCCI bilateral media rights from Disney Star, who had won the television and digital rights for the 2018-23 cycle for INR 6138 crore. Disney Star had won the rights to the 2012-18 cycle of broadcasting Indian cricket in the country for INR 3851 crores.
“Also, a big thank you to @starindia @DisneyPlusHS for your support over the years. You played a key role in making India Cricket reach its fans across the globe,” added Shah, also the President of the Asian Cricket Council (ACC).
The BCCI has opted for an e-auction for the bilateral media rights, with a base price of INR 25 crore for India digital and rest of world TV & digital rights and INR 20 crore for India television rights, continuing the trend from IPL media rights auction.
It brought the combined rights value to INR 45 crore per game for a total of 88 matches for the 2023-28 cycle. Viacom18’s cycle of showing India’s matches will begin with the three-match ODI series against Australia from September 22-27, a preparatory series before the Men’s ODI World Cup.