After securing the exclusive television rights package for the 2023-2027 Indian Premier League cricket seasons, Disney Star said in a statement on Tuesday that the company made disciplined bids with a focus on long-term value.
Disney Star retained TV rights (Package A) for Rs 23,575 crore while Viacom18 bagged the digital property for Rs 23,758 cr (Package B & C). Viacom 18 also got the rights for Aus, SA, UK regions in Package D while Times got the MENA and US.
"We made disciplined bids with a focus on long-term value. We chose not to proceed with the digital rights given the price required to secure that package. IPL is an important component of our portfolio of television channels in India, providing an incredible opportunity for us to showcase The Walt Disney Company's powerful global brands and iconic storytelling, as well as Disney Star's impressive collection of local original content, to millions of viewers in India," Rebecca Campbell, Chairman, International Content and Operations, Walt Disney Company said in a statement.
"We are pleased to extend our association with the Indian Premier League and look forward to offering the next five seasons across our portfolio of television channels. We will be exploring other multiplatform cricket rights, including future rights for International Cricket Council (ICC) and Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), which we currently hold through the 2023 and 2024 seasons, respectively," she said.
"Additionally, we hold Pro Kabaddi League rights, Indian Super League football rights, as well as various international sports rights, including the Wimbledon Championships and the English Premier League. At the same time, we are focused on growing our robust slate of original entertainment content for Disney+ Hotstar and our television channels in the region," Campbell said.
"Our vast portfolio of more than 70 television channels in India cuts across general entertainment, films, sports, infotainment, kids, and lifestyle content, reaching 90% of pay cable and satellite TV homes in the region," she said.
After the end of e-auction, Rahul Johri, president, Business - ZEE Entertainment Enterprises Ltd lauded the Indian cricket board (BCCI) "for running an extremely efficient and transparent e-auction process" of the IPL media rights.
"ZEE would like to congratulate the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) for running an extremely efficient and transparent e-auction process. We are grateful to the BCCI, President, Mr Sourav Ganguly, Hon'ble Secretary, Mr Jay Shah and Hon'ble Treasurer, Mr Arun Dhumal; for their able leadership and unwavering support in enabling ZEE's participation in the IPL Media Rights tender process," Johri said in a statement on Tuesday.
"At ZEE, we evaluate all business decisions through the prism of value creation for all our stakeholders and we will continue to evaluate every sports property with the same prism," he said.
One of the most prominent bidders at the IPL's media rights auction, Sony Sports Network thanked and congratulated the BCCI for an extremely well-managed and transparent bidding process.
"I want to begin by congratulating and thanking BCCI for an extremely well-managed and transparent bidding process. Next, I want to congratulate the winners of the four IPL media rights packages. The IPL began with SPN and has since developed into one of the world's most popular sporting leagues in its 15-year history," NP Singh, MD & CEO, Sony Pictures Networks India said in a statement.
"We've seen the league grow and would have liked to see it on the Sony Network again. In this regard, we made a reasonable bid, considering all the expected returns. We had to factor in the market's anticipated expansion and potential economic and other concerns over the next five years. Fiscal prudence, in my opinion, is critical for strategic management," he said.
"Sony Sports Network will broadcast over 1800 hours of cricket this year. In addition to the marquee India tour of England, the team plays three T20Is and three ODIs in the country. This will happen between India's games in Ireland and India's games in Zimbabwe.
"In addition to this action-packed calendar of Indian men's cricket, we have the women's team touring England and an enviable bilateral men's cricket calendar featuring England vs New Zealand, Australia vs South Africa, Sri Lanka vs Australia, England vs South Africa, Australia vs England, and more, as well as popular T20i tournaments like the Big Bash League, Pakistan Super League, Women's Big Bash League and more," he said.
(With IANS Inputs)
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