Viacom18 has acquired the global media rights for Indian cricket, covering both digital and television platforms, for INR 5963 crore (approximately USD 720 million). This five-year deal, spanning 2023-28, includes all international and domestic cricket organized by the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), except the Indian Premier League (IPL).
Bidding Process and Winning Amounts
The e-auction, conducted by the BCCI, saw Viacom18 outbid Disney Star and Sony in both digital and television categories:
- Digital rights: Viacom18 won with a bid of INR 3101 crore (USD 375 million approx.)
- Television rights: Viacom18 secured the deal for INR 2862 crore (USD 346 million approx.)
The competing bids from Disney Star and Sony have not been officially disclosed.
Viacom18’s Expanding Cricket Portfolio
This deal marks Viacom18’s takeover of BCCI media rights from Disney Star, further strengthening its cricket portfolio. Viacom18 already holds:
- Digital rights for the IPL
- Both TV and digital rights for the Women’s Premier League (WPL)
Comparison with Previous Media Rights Cycle
- The per-match value in the new deal is INR 67.75 crore, a 92% increase from the INR 60 crore paid by Star India in the 2018-23 cycle.
- In the previous cycle, Disney Star (formerly Star India) secured worldwide rights for INR 6138 crore (USD 944 million) for 102 international matches.
- The 2023-28 cycle covers 88 international matches, with a revised bidding format.
Revised Bidding Categories
In the 2018-23 cycle, the BCCI divided rights into three categories, with the winning bid made in the Global Consolidated Rights (GCR) category. For the 2023-28 period, the BCCI simplified the bidding structure:
- TV rights for the Indian subcontinent (Base price: INR 20 crore / USD 2.42 million per match)
- Digital rights for the Indian subcontinent, plus TV and digital rights for the rest of the world (Base price: INR 25 crore / USD 3 million per match)
This restructuring allowed Viacom18 to secure both categories, ensuring comprehensive global coverage of Indian cricket until 2028.
