Viacom18 has secured BCCI’s media rights encompassing both, television and digital platforms
On Thursday, the highly anticipated online auction for the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) media rights unfolded, marking a significant moment in the sports and media industry. The bid for these rights was ultimately clinched by Viacom18, a joint venture comprising Paramount Global and Reliance Industries. Participating in this high-stakes auction were three major contenders – Disney Star, Sony Sports, and Viacom18.
Viacom18, backed by Mukesh Ambani’s Reliance Industries, emerged victorious, securing the media rights encompassing both, television and digital platforms. This deal spans an impressive five-year period, commencing from September 2023 and extending through to March 2028. To provide context, Disney Sports had previously held the rights for the period spanning 2018 to 2023, for a rumored amount of Rs. 6,138 crore, translating to Rs. 60 crore per match.
Jay Shah, the Honorary Secretary of BCCI and the President of the Asian Cricket Council in a tweet congratulates Viacom18 for its win.
Congratulations @viacom18 🤝 for winning the @BCCI Media Rights for both linear and digital for the next 5 years. India Cricket will continue to grow in both spaces as after @IPL, and @wplt20, we extend the partnership @BCCI Media Rights as well. Together we will continue to…
— Jay Shah (@JayShah) August 31, 2023
Viacom18 has secured both the broadcast and digital packages for cricket, valuing them at Rs. 20 crore and Rs. 25 crore per match, respectively. This landmark arrangement totals a whopping Rs. 45 crore per match and encompasses a substantial 88 matches in its entirety. Viacom18’s bid, amounting to a staggering Rs. 5,964 crore, is equating to approximately Rs. 67.8 crore per match.
Viacom18’s broadcasting tenure is to commence with the highly awaited India vs. Australia series scheduled to kickstart in late September. The convergence of Viacom18’s combined media assets, including Paramount Global’s global reach and the resources of Reliance Industries, promises to deliver a cricketing spectacle like never before.
