NEW DELHI / MUMBAI: Another part of the Indian telecast rights story has been taken care of. Trans World International, the production arm of sports management major IMG (International Management Group), will be producing the upcoming India-Pakistan cricket series. The fee TWI is being paid for its services: $1.5 million.

This was confirmed to Indiantelevision.com a short while ago by a senior official in the Board of Cricket Control in India (BCCI). The board official said that the BCCI would decide within two days all remaining rights issues pertaining to the blockbuster cricket series. These involve domestic cable and satellite rights, international telecast rights and air time sales and marketing of the series.

Making a pointed reference to pubcaster Prasar Bharati, the official said that telecast rights for the Indian territory were being split into terrestrial and satellite. Doordarshan, which would be getting the terrestrial feed as directed by the Madras High Court, could also bid for the satellite rights, he added.

Interestingly, it may be recalled that Indiantelevision.com had reported that Nimbus Sports had offered to do the TV production for "much less than $1.5 million", but with a rider attached. Nimbus' offer stated that the production cost would depend on the "number of cameras and associated value added components of coverage".

It is also pertinent to note that the production contract for the two fixtures held last October-November involving Australia and South Africa had gone to Dubai-based Ten Sports.

Meanwhile, the BCCI working committee meets today to decide on, among other things, the issue of air time sales and the sale of international telecast rights for the blockbuster series.

Also read:

Sony bids $40 million for Indo-Pak series

Next big cricket fight: ad sales, production & international rights