IPL broadcasting rights; Amazon is backing down and competition is intensifying
Amazon has pulled out of its bid to acquire IPL Media Rights. Friday was the last day to submit a technical bid to acquire the broadcasting rights. Indications are that the e-auction will be 12 or 13. With the withdrawal of Amazon, PTI reported that four celebrities are now mainly in the competition.
The PTI report quotes BCCI sources as saying that the application for the Google-owned YouTube bid has been accepted but has not yet been submitted. Ten companies are currently in the process of acquiring streaming and television broadcasts. Among them are Viacom 18, owned by Reliance Industries, Star Group under Walt Disney, Sea TV and Sony.
Companies are vying for the television and digital broadcasting rights for the next five years (2023-2027) of IPL matches. Currently there are 74 matches in a season but in the last two years it will increase to 94 matches. Broadcasting rights are sold in four main categories.
Category A sells television broadcasting rights in India. Category B owns the digital broadcasting rights of the Indian subcontinent. There will be digital broadcasting rights for 18 selected matches in C category. Category D owns television and digital broadcasting rights outside India.
For digital broadcasting exclusively, Times Internet, Fun Asia, Dream11 and Fancode also have Sky Sports (UK) and Super Sports (South Africa) to acquire broadcasting rights outside India. Five years ago, Star Sports acquired the TV and digital broadcasting rights for Rs 16,347.50 crore. It is estimated that this time it will rise to Rs 45,000 crore.
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