Three Entities Submit Bids for BCCI Media Rights Auction
Notably absent from the bidding process are Zee, FanCode, Google, and Amazon. The upcoming auction, scheduled for August 31, will feature a three-way competition between Sony, Star, and the newcomer Viacom 18 for the television and digital rights of international games in India.
The designated day for technical bid submissions was Monday, during which the regulator assessed whether the participants met the criteria outlined in the Invitation To Tender (ITT). This step serves as the initial phase of the forthcoming online auction.
Zee's absence suggests a potential partnership with Sony in the bidding process, resulting from the approved merger between the two broadcasters. A joint bid by Sony-Zee also remains possible since the BCCI allows consortium bids, a provision not present in previous media rights auctions, including the IPL rights auction last year. Neither company has provided an immediate response regarding this matter, but given their anticipated merger finalization by October 1, collaboration between the organizations is expected.
Considering that all three broadcasters have previously participated in IPL bidding, the evaluation of technical bids may be a mere formality, as both Disney Star and Viacom are already media partners of the BCCI through their IPL rights holdings.
To participate, companies must possess a net worth of at least Rs 1000 crores, a requirement comfortably met by all three entities involved.
The BCCI is offering two packages: one for Indian sub-continent television rights and another for Indian sub-continent digital rights, which include the rest of the world's TV and digital rights. The base price for the television package is set at INR 20 crore, while the digital package starts at INR 25 crore. Additionally, the auction's cumulative value must not fall below INR 60 crore.
