New Delhi
The Indian cricket board is expecting to breach the USD 1 billion (INR 8200 crore approx) mark in its cumulative earnings from selling the separate TV and digital rights for India’s 88 home games during the five-year period till March 2028.
The highlight of this new cycle will be 21 home games against Australia (five Tests, 6 ODIs and 10 T20Is) along with 18 games against England (10 Tests, 3 ODIs and 5 T20Is) out of the 25 Tests, 27 ODIs and 36 T20Is.
During the last five-year phase (2018-23), the BCCI had earned USD 944 million (INR 6138 crore approx in 2018 exchange rate) from Star India with a price per international game being Rs 60 crore (digital plus TV).
Unlike last time, the BCCI will invite separate bids for TV and digital rights after a whopping INR 48,390 crore earning during the IPL media rights auction where Reliance won the digital bid and Star won the TV rights.
The bidding process will once again be conducted through e-auction just like it happened with the IPL media rights as it is considered the most transparent process for best price discovery.
Those who are tracking the developments feel that even digital rights for Indian cricket will skyrocket and the response for TV will be way more tepid in comparison.
It is difficult to put a number right now as the value of dollar to rupee has also changed from the exchange rate of last time. But don’t be surprised if digital rights earns way more than TV, a broadcaster involved in this business said.