| He added: “BCCI would like to get out of all legal
battles in courts with regard to telecast rights. So, we have decided
to approach the courts and seek their approval to cancel the current
tender and put out fresh tenders with fresh terms very soon."
Modi, a close aide of the present cricket boss, agriculture minister
Sharad Pawar, though did not put a time frame on fresh bids, but
added issuing a separate tender for ICC-organised tournaments like
the Champions Trophy is being contemplated.
However, neither Modi, nor BCCI treasurer N. Srinivasan hazarded
a guess whether the new bids will be on the higher side of previous
quotes or on the lower side. New government norms make it mandatory
for all sporting events of national importance to be shared with
Doordarshan, thus robbing the
rights of total exclusivity.
According to Modi, the Board would invite bids for team sponsors
on 12 December and finish the whole process of awarding the rights
before 20 December so that when the Indian team plays the next cricket
series after finishing matching prowess with the Sri Lankans, a
new sponsor would be in place.
The BCCI marketing committee’s decision today makes it clear that
Zee Telefilms will be able to participate in the bidding. The previous
regime at the BCCI, headed by Jagmohan Dalmiya protégé
Mahendra Singh, had attempted to frame eligibility criteria in a
way that would have kept Zee on the outside.
However, a senior executive of Zee Telefilms today was “cautiously
optimistic” on the developments and said, “These are early days
yet and we would not like to comment outright on the bidding process
except that our stand has been vindicated.”
ESPN Star Sports, one of the main contenders for the Indian cricket
rights, could not be reached for comments.
Some of the main decisions of the BCCI marketing panel are as follows:
# A re-tendering would be done for domestic cricket. Time frame
would depend on a clearance from the court where several cases are
being heard.
# A completely new set of rules and eligibility criteria would
be set.
# BCCI to unbundle some of the rights in the new tender. For example,
broadband, telephony, IPTV rights would be sold separately and would
not form part of the broadcast rights. "BCCI is looking at
a broader coverage (of cricket). We don't want people to feel that
the Board is being too restrictive," Modi said.
# Separate deal with Doordarshan as per policy decision. Modi said,
"All India Radio would be given broadcast rights free of cost."
# BCCI expects that Sahara would come forward and re-bid for the
rights. “Sahara has been an exemplary team sponsor,” Modi added.
# New categories of sponsorships like official time keeper, air
carrier and media partners will also be created to generate more
revenue.
# BCCI would like to have its own TV channel, but no time frame
has been set as no final decision on it has been taken.
# Issue of production houses bidding for the telecast rights would
be dealt with separately.
# The highest bidder would get the rights.
# BCCI looking at creating opportunities through merchandising
activities. This would result in increased earnings for players
too, Modi said.
The cricket rights issue had got entangled in legal controversies
after ESPN Star Sports went to court late 2004, challenging on technical
grounds a decision to award four years’ rights to Zee Telefilms,
which had bid a humungous $ 308 million.
Since then the matter has been moving from one court to another,
including the Supreme Court. The legal battle had benefited pubcaster
Doordarshan that got to air all cricket matches played in India
since January 2005.
The decision on re-tendering comes as no surprise and was an expected
one. By handing Zee Sports the satellite telecast rights for the
ongoing India-Sri Lanka Test matches, the BCCI had as good as acknowledged
Zee's eligibility to bid for domestic cricket for the next four
years.
Also read:
Zee wins
Lanka series satellite rights
Sharad
Pawar new BCCI president
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