The Hindu Business Line : Zee emerges highest bidder with Rs 1,206 cr

THE Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) is all set to get richer. The highest bid by the Zee Group for the telecast rights of cricket matches to be played in India over the next three years has touched a whopping Rs 1,206 crore.

Sources in the broadcasting industry said that ESPN Software India Pvt Ltd, which owns ESPN and Star Sports, is a close second. It has offered to pay Rs 1,140 crore, while national broadcaster Prasar Bharati is willing to cough up Rs 704 crore.

Sony Entertainment Television (SET) and Dubai-based Ten Sports are the tail-enders; both placing bids of Rs 680 crore and Rs 650 crore, respectively. Last time round, Doordarshan had managed to secure the five-year telecast rights for just about Rs 230 crore.

The bids for the BCCI matches closed on Saturday and the final winner is likely to be announced early next week. "The bids were opened today in the presence of BCCI officials and audit firm PricewaterhouseCoopers. A decision will be taken not just on the basis of financial strength but after evaluating parameters such as prior experience in cricket broadcasting as well," said a BCCI source.

Interestingly, the Board did not permit marketing companies to bid for the rights and had allowed only broadcasters to participate in the process.

Meanwhile, the national broadcaster, on the eve of the BCCI bids, has already signed an agreement with ESPN for sharing of cricket rights.

The private broadcaster will give the terrestrial rights to Doordarshan through a minimum guarantee (MG) and revenue share arrangement. During the first year, ESPN has agreed to pay Rs 1.25 crore as MG, which will go up by Rs 25 lakh each year to touch Rs 2 crore in the fourth year.

The private sports broadcaster will also share 20 per cent of its advertising revenue.

The bagging of the BCCI rights is especially crucial to the private broadcasters. Industry analysts said that while Zee is looking at strengthening its direct-to-home (DTH) platform by offering cricket,

ESPN also faces a dearth in India matches.

"SET needs the India matches to turn its MAX channel into a full-fledged sports channel and Ten Sports has been trying to consolidate its presence in the sub-continent," said industry sources.

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