STAR SPORTS TO RAISE BASIC RATES

Come 17 March and Star Sports is expected to raise the basic fees it charges cable operators. The revision is part of what has become an annual ritual by sports channels ESPN and Star Sports.

Star Sports encrypted and converted to a pay-TV service last year and its annual contract with cable operators expires on 17 March. Under the new contract, the rates will now be between Rs 4.55 and Rs 4.99 per subscriber. This will impose an additional burden of Rs 1.70 per subscriber on each cable operator, compared to what they were paying last year.

ESPN Software India, which is looking after the distribution of Star Sports in India, has started informing cable operators about the rate revision as of last week. Star Sports reaches out to 12 million homes in India today.

The management expects the renewal process of the rate contract to pass smoothly this year.

The big event on Star Sports this year is the World Cup Cricket Tournament, which will commence on 14 May and has already been sold out as far as commercial time is concerned.