Is the pitch queered for viewers?

With BCCI declaring Nimbus LBW, what's in store for cricket consumers in India?

Some believe that the cricket board's scrapping of the telecast rights to Nimbus will make no difference, as there is very little product differentiation between channels such as Star, Ten and Neo.

“Neo Sports' production, in the absence of comparators, seemed good (enough) to me. If ESPN were doing it, I don't know that it would be a whole leap better — maybe the same mafia with whiter faces?” says Mr Itu Choudhary, a cricket buff. “If the after-game packages are much of a muchness, really! In these times, the levels of general competence is widely distributed,” he adds.

Not many share his view. Some are looking forward to better coverage. Mr Mathew Verghese, a management student and a cricket buff, says, “I am now looking forward to a broadcaster who dishes out better content for the viewers. It (Nimbus-deal) was an over-valued deal with the BCCI, promising too many things. BCCI should now look at striking a more reasonable deal. I am a neutral cricket viewer and Neo-sports' India-centric broadcast didn't go down well with me.”

According to analysts, Nimbus went overboard with promises while filing the tender for broadcast rights, overestimating the advertising market and its financial situation, to win rights.

Mr Jayant Ranganathan, a young sports marketing executive, says, “Public perception of Neo properties with respect to broadcasters like ESPN and Star and even Sony Max and Ten Sports is that it lacks ‘glamour' both in terms of lacking top notch analysts, commentators and special guests. Neo seemed like Doordarshan of the old days.”

Online presence

According to Mr Ranganathan, in terms of Web site and online presence, ESPN Cricinfo is a superior Web site for any cricket fan with fantastic content. “The positives about Nimbus were that there were less number of advertisers and thus shorter ad breaks between overs and sessions,” he says.

Another point to be noted, say die-hard cricket buffs, is that Nimbus is not available in High Definition on Television, whereas its competitors are.

But what does it mean to Nimbus? The opportunity loss for the company is undoubtedly mammoth, not to mention the damage done to its goodwill and image.

“The opportunity loss to Nimbus could run into Rs 100-200 crore per annum. This development has not gone well with its brand image because it is a small marketplace with few people to deal with. Invariably this will lead to litigation but Nimbus is not new to litigation either, having history of a long drawn court battle with Doordarshan. But this time the default is huge,” says a media planner with an advertising agency.

Meanwhile, Nimbus on Tuesday issued a statement that it was “working towards achieving full resolution of any differences that may have arisen between the parties and is hopeful of a reasoned conclusion of these in the coming weeks.” Will the pitch be smoothened?

> heena.k@thehindu.co.in

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