IPL Media Rights Auction: TV & Digital Rights Sold For Rs 44,075 Crore
IPL media rights are being sold in four different categories for the next five year cycle.
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The BCCI is set to make upwards Rs 107.5 crore from the media rights of every single IPL match played over the next five years.
The e-auction of the IPL's media rights started on Sunday and after the sale of the first two categories, the BCCI already is assured a sum of Rs 44,075 crore per season, for the next five seasons from the IPL.
For the first time in the league's history, the digital and TV rights in the Indian subcontinent have been sold to two different companies.
According to reports, Viacom 18 has bagged the digital rights for the Indian subcontinent, for Rs 20,500 crore while Disney Star got the TV rights for Rs 23,575 crore (Rs 57.5 crore/match) for the five year window, stretching from 2023 to 2027.
A total of Rs 44,075 crore has been spent by the two companies in buying 'Package A' and 'Package B' which comprises a total of 410 matches across the next five seasons.
This takes IPL's per match valuation to at least Rs 107.5 crore, making it second only to America's NFL which earns Rs 136 crore per game. England's Premier League's per match earnings from media rights is said to be Rs 82 crore.
A total of seven companies are bidding in the online auction but Viacom18, Disney-Star, Sony and Zee are believed to be the four big bidders so far.
"We are already reaching towards USD 5.5 billion mark after selling two packages. But digital rights per match value touching Rs 50 crore is massive. An incremental growth of 51 percent over and above base price is phenomenal," a BCCI functionary told PTI on the condition of anonymity.
"The bidding stopped at 6 pm today and we are currently auctioning off package C, which has 98 games for five years in non-exclusive digital category. There are 18 in first two seasons followed by 20 in next two and 24 in the final season. It will be followed by package D, which is overseas rights for TV and digital."
Sale of Four Packages
'Package A' comprises the television broadcast rights of the IPL in the Indian subcontinent while 'Package B' comprised the digital media rights for the Indian subcontinent.
'Package C', consisted of digital rights to an assortment of 18 matches (in a 74 match season) that included the season-opener, weekend games and the playoffs, including the final. 'Package D' is expected to fetch the least of the four, as it consists of TV and media rights for the Rest of the World.
Sunday and Monday saw the sale of Package A and B finalised and Package C's bidding was underway at the end of the day. The auction will end with Package D rights which come at a base price of Rs 3 crore.
Re-Bid of Package B
Having won TV rights for the Indian subcontinent, the winner of Package A was allowed to enter into a second bidding war with the winner of Package B for the digital media rights in the Indian subcontinent.
So while after the first round, Viacom 18 bagged Package B for Rs 19,680 crore, there were more increments in Monday's afternoon session as the winning bid went to the, but for Rs 20,500 crore.
IPL Media Rights (2023-2027)
Package A: TV Rights (Indian Subcontinent)
Base Price: Rs 49 crore/match
Sold at: Rs 23,575 crore (Rs 57.5 crore/match)
Package B: Digital Rights (Indian subcontinent)
Base Price: Rs 33 crore/match
Sold at: Rs 20,500 crore (Rs 50 crore/match)
Package C: 18 Assorted Matches (Indian Subcontinent)
Base Price: Rs 16 crore/match
Package D: TV & Digital Rights (Rest of the World)
Base Price: Rs 3 crore/match
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