The Hindu Business Line : `Revenue-sharing is future of cricket broadcast'

AFTER successfully bagging the telecast rights for a string of cricket matches involving India, Prasar Bharati believes that future contracts will be based on revenue-sharing agreements.

Confident about getting the telecast rights from the BCCI for the next four years, the CEO, Mr K.S. Sarma, told Business Line in Chennai: "Revenue-sharing could be the future of cricket broadcast in India. That's how we have shown cricket all this while, for which we wouldn't have been able to pay rights fee."

The private channels had bid huge sums with an eye on future profits, as there is no chance of immediate returns, said Mr Sarma, who on Sunday inked a Rs 100-crore deal with the BCCI.

According to the deal, Prasar Bharati will get to telecast the four-Test series between India and Australia, two India-South Africa Test matches, and a one-day international between India and Pakistan — a total of 31 match days. Ten Sports will produce the feed while the international rights have gone to Sony TV.

Mr Sarma said that Prasar Bharati is eyeing revenues worth more than Rs 200 crore from these matches.

While presenting sponsors TVS and IOC have paid over Rs 6 crore each, associate sponsors Hutch and Pepsi have paid Rs 4 crore each.

There have been heavy spot buys, between Rs 2 crore and Rs 4 crore, from BSNL, Onida, Videocon and Hero Honda, according to the organisation's Mumbai office, which is marketing the matches.

A Prasar Bharati official there said that three-fourths of the ad inventory has already been sold.

The spot rates for the Test matches range between Rs 40,000 and Rs 50,000 for 10-second slots. Spot deals for the lone one-day international were initially pegged between Rs 75,000 and Rs l lakh for 10 seconds; however, the broadcaster is in no rush to sell the remaining slots, as it wants to increase the rates.

Prasar Bharati will air the matches both on DD-I, its terrestrial channel, and DD Sports, a cable channel.

"One of the reasons why we are keen to have the rights for the match is that without cricket, DD Sports will be very difficult to sustain and its visibility will be lost," he said.

More Stories on : Strategy | Sports | Radio/TV

Article E-Mail :: Comment :: Syndication :: Printer Friendly Page

Stories in this Section
Anchor Daewoo plans foray into air-conditioner segment

AIR to sell rights of Australia-India series to ABC

`Revenue-sharing is future of cricket broadcast'

ICICI Bank facility

`Reaching remotest destinations a big challenge for rural marketing'

Timex to launch 150 styles of `time machines' — Renews deal with Brett Lee

Reliance gaming contest

IonIdea to market MKS solutions

India is second most attractive retail destination: A.T. Kearney

Kerafed to launch a range of products