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The
World Cup Network is what it is now calling itself. Sony
Entertainment made it official today that it has acquired
the Indian television satellite broadcast rights for a six-year
package of ICC (International Cricket Council) tournaments,
including the World Cups in 2003 and 2007.
The
declaration comes over a month after SET had made what was
virtually an advance announcement that it had it all in
the bag (on 15 February). SET had issued a release then
that it was in advanced negotiations with Global Cricket
Corporation (GCC) & World Sport Nimbus (WSN) for acquiring
the same. The GCC is a joint venture between WSG and News
Corp and is managing the commercial programme for the ICC
Cricket World Cup 2003.
SET India CEO Kunal Dasgupta |
Announcing
the mega acquisition, Sony Entertainment Television (SET),
Kunal Dasgupta, CEO, said: "We have bagged the rights to
beam live all the matches of all three key ICC Cricket tournaments,
namely, two ICC Cricket World Cups, three ICC Champions
Trophies, and three Under-19 Cricket World Cups."
The
terrestrial rights rest with national broadcaster Doordarshan
and it will be telecasting all matches involving India,
including the semi-finals and finals of all the ICC tournaments,
Harish Thawani, co-chairman World Sports Nimbus, said.
World Sports Nimbus Co-Chairman
Harish Thawani
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At
a reported $ 250 million, this is the "single largest broadcast
licencing deal" in cricket history and has involved a long
and meticulously managed bidding process. From six players
during the initial bidding, the field was narrowed down
to three players at the final stage.
According
to the information available, left in the race at the end
were SET, ESPN Star Sports and Sahara India. Though Sahara,
which is also the official sponsor of the Indian cricket
team, reportedly made a higher bid in value terms, SET was
able to sell its pitch that it had the better credentials
to showcase an event of this magnitude having already successfully
telecast Sharjah cricket.
World Sports Nimbus Co-chairman Seamus
O'Brian |
The
deal was finally signed and delivered after some intense
negotiations over the fine print only on Tuesday night,
said Seamus O'Brian, co-chairman, World Sports Nimbus.
As
far as the cricket is concerned, it works out to a total
of over 300 international matches over the next six years.
Next year's World Cup (February 2003) will have 54 matches
covered. But before that in September, there is the ICC
Champions Trophy tournament which will have all the cricketing
nations participating. This will be followed by the ICC
Under-19 Cricket World Cup to be played in New Zealand in
January-February 2003.
SET
Max Exe VP and Business Head Rajat Jain |
World
Sports Nimbus, which is also doing the television production
for the events, will have a 350-strong crew and commentator
team with 23 cameras covering every possible angle during
the tournaments, Thawani said.
Rajat Jain, executive V-P and business head of sister channel
MAX, which will be telecasting the matches, gave some indication
of what was being lined up when he said the effort would
be to build viewer interest for non-India cricket as well
(India matches are a gauranteed draw). This would be done
through innovative presentations as well as contests and
promotions around the event. There are also plans to leverage
the Youth World Cup into a major event. A whole slew of
initiatives are planned the details of which will be announced
in due course, Jain said.
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