The BCCI revealed on Monday that Star India had won the bidding war for media rights to the Indian Premier League for the next five years, for a whopping Rs 16,347 crore. Star India now has the worldwide rights to broadcast all IPL matches, whether on TV or digital platforms, while Sony, who held the TV rights for the last 10 years, get nothing.
Also Read: Star India Bag IPL Media Rights For Rs 16,347 Cr for Next 5 Years
It’s a big win for Star India, given how much promotional value the IPL has, and an even bigger win for the BCCI, who have come a long way from having to pay Doordarshan to broadcast matches. The IPL teams will also be celebrating, with 45 percent of the deal amount set to be distributed to them.
But does that mean smiles all around? Maybe not. DTH providers Dish TV had written to the government prior to the result of the bid, warning that if Star India were to be given the broadcast rights, they would have a monopoly in the sports broadcasting market. This is because Star India already has most of the rights to the Indian national team’s matches.
So can Star India be hauled up by the long arm of the law (in this case, the Competition Commission of India) for creating an unlawful monopoly?
The Quint’s Sports Editor Mendra Dorjey and Legal Correspondent Vakasha Sachdev discuss how Star haven’t done anything wrong yet but how that could all change if they aren’t careful.
(At The Quint, we are answerable only to our audience. Play an active role in shaping our journalism by becoming a member. Because the truth is worth it.)