ITV

Tag: BCCI

  • Sony withdraws from ICC rights bid process

    Sony withdraws from ICC rights bid process

    MUMBAI: Sony Entertainment Television India, the “incumbent” holder of telecast rights for ICC cricket in the subcontinent, has withdrawn from the bidding process for the next round of bids, for which the deadline for bids submission is 10 November.

    Up for grabs are the audio-visual rights for 18 ICC tournaments starting from the second half of 2007 till the World Cup in 2015. The last agreement began in 2000 and ends with the ICC Cricket World Cup 2007 in the West Indies next March.

    The Sony Pictures Television International (SPTI) board was unwilling to bankroll the bid, which was seen as being too fraught with financial risk.

    Confirming the developments to Indiantelevision.com, Set India CEO Kunal Dasgupta had this to say: “We believe that the terms (of the tender) are quite onerous. We do not want to put our company at risk so we are constrained to hold back our bid. But that does not take away our right to enter into post-bid arrangements with the winning bidders.”

    Dasgupta made it clear that Sony did not want to get sucked into a bidding frenzy similar to what was witnessed in February when Harish Thawani’s Nimbus Communications walked away with the telecast rights to India cricket after putting in a bank-breaking $612.18 million composite bid. Nimbus’ bid was nearly $ 200 million higher than the base price of $425 million that had been set by the Indian cricket board.

    A point also worth noting is that Sony’s composite bid for the BCCI rights, made through Set Satellite Singapore Pte, was $478 million for the global rights and $397 million for the India territory.

    AGAIN A FACE-OFF BETWEEN MURDOCH AND CHANDRA?
    With Sony out of the reckoning, it could well be the same two who finally face off for the current block of cricket property, with Subhash Chandra squaring off against one time ally and now bitter foe Rupert Murdoch. It was Murdoch who won that particular skirmish so there will be some interesting history at play when the bids are opened at the ICC’s headquarters in Dubai tomorrow.

    To rewind to 1999, the News Corp controlled Global Cricket Corporation (GCC) had paid out $550 million to secure the rights after a fierce bidding war with Chandra’s Zee Telefilms. At the time of bidding, the GCC was a 50:50 JV between News Corp and World Sport Nimbus (itself a 50:50 JV between Nimbus and the UK-headquartered World Sport Group). News Corp subsequently bought out WSN’s stake in the JV.

    The GCC had sold the satellite rights for the Indian subcontinent territory to Sony Entertainment Television India for $ 208 million.

    One player that will definitely not be in this particular game is Nimbus. It has been taken out of the equation by the News Corp distribution deal. And neither, for that matter, will News Corp be bidding as a separate entity from ESPN Star Sports.

    Market speculation on how high the bidding will go this time round ranges from at least a billion dollars to even crossing $ 1.7 billion.

  • BCCI, ICC resolve MPA differences

    BCCI, ICC resolve MPA differences

    MUMBAI: After all the public grandstanding came the expected resolution. World cricket’s governing body and the Indian board have resolved their differences over the Members Participation Agreement (MPA).

    The quid pro quo was that the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) agreed to withdraw its bid for the broadcast rights for ICC Events from 2007 – 2015 after “legal opinion” indicated there would be conflict of interest.

    Now a new draft of the MPA will be sent to all ICC member countries.

    A statement issued the International Cricket Council (ICC) after its two-day meeting over the weekend said: “The (ICC) board achieved a successful resolution of the outstanding issues involving the MPA with the BCCI.”

    The BCCI’s objection prior to the discussions was that the MPA in its earlier form affected its commercial interests. Following the compromise deal, BCCI officials say that their sponsors have been protected.

    Now though there will not be a conflict between an ICC sponsor and a BCCI one like Nike. In addition countries like India and Australia can keep hosting triangular events and also events involving four teams. The MPA in its earlier form had not allowed this.

    It may be recalled that a month back ICC president Percy Sonn talked tough warning the Indian cricket board that it “could not continue as one of the joint hosts of the 2011 World Cup” if it refused to play ball.

    The never at a loss for words BCCI vice-president Lalit Modi had fired back then that without India, the ICC’s revenues would be drastically affected.

    After a churlish and often childish back and forth between ICC chief Malcolm Speed and the irrepressible Modi over the last few weeks, bridges have been mended and now the crickets global administrator can go ahead with its rights process tender.

  • Modi threatens ICC of Indian withdrawal from future tourneys

    Modi threatens ICC of Indian withdrawal from future tourneys

    MUMBAI: If nothing else, the ongoing spat between the Indian cricket board and the ICC has been the most entertaining quotathon heard in a while. And they keep coming.

    In the latest salvo to be fired, the never short for words combative BCCI vice president Lalit Modi has further upped the ante saying that India is prepared to withdraw from future one-day tournaments, including the World Cup, if the ICC doesn’t let up on the matter of the MPA (members’ participation agreement).

    Modi told the BBC: “It (MPA) is a unilateral agreement which gives the ICC the right to modify and amend it any time they wish.

    “I’ve never seen an agreement in which one of the signatories has that right.”

    “We don’t have to play all tournaments. If things don’t work out, we could choose not to play in the Champions Trophy and the World Cup,” Modi told the BBC.

    For good measure, Modi also brought up the issue (yet again) of India being cricket’s economic lifeline. “If the BCCI does not sign the MPA, then the ICC’s income would be reduced to 5 per cent of what it currently is,” he claimed. 

  • BCCI tells ICC to keep off its players

    BCCI tells ICC to keep off its players

    MUMBAI: “Stay away from our players.” That was the message that the Indian cricket board today shot off to the International Cricket Council (ICC), with which it is currently at loggerheads over the Members’ Participation Agreement (MPA).

    “It has been made clear to the ICC that they cannot deal directly with the Indian players. They have to come through the Board,” BCCI secretary Niranjan Shah was quoted as saying by the Press Trust of India News Service.

    Shah, who was speaking from Ahmedabad, claimed it was not the BCCI alone, but the cricket boards of Sri Lanka, Pakistan and Bangladesh as well who were against the ICC’s dealing directly with players.

    “Not only me (BCCI), but Sri Lanka Cricket, Pakistan Cricket Board and Bangladesh Cricket Board, have said at the recent ICC meeting that on any issue related to the players, the ICC has to approach the boards first,” Shah told PTI.

    Shah’s riposte was in reaction to comments made yesterday by ICC general manager – Cricket, David Richardson, who said, “While the ICC is required to deal directly with the Indian board on player issues, I’ve always enjoyed a good relationship with the Indian captain Rahul Dravid and several of their leading players and, should the BCCI permit, I’d welcome an opportunity to answer any queries they may have.”

    India, which hosts the ICC’s Champions Trophy from Saturday, won the right to hold the 2011 World Cup jointly with neighbors Pakistan, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh.

    The ICC has given the BCCI till next Monday (9 October) to notify it of any and all difficulties it has with the MPA. About the deadline, Shah had earlier said that the board would “meet that date”.

    However, today he took on a more belligerent tone when he said, “Are they going to hang us otherwise?” Shah told PTI the BCCI had already sent a reply to the ICC detailing its stand on the MPA.

  • Faceoff over MPA: BCCI rebuffs ICC’s threat of losing ’11 World Cup

    Faceoff over MPA: BCCI rebuffs ICC’s threat of losing ’11 World Cup

    MUMBAI: The ICC proposes, the BCCI disposes. A day after ICC president Percy Sonn warned the Indian cricket board that it “could not continue as one of the joint hosts of the 2011 World Cup” if it refused to play ball, the BCCI gave it a curt rebuff.

    The Board of Control for Cricket in India vice-president Lalit Modi was quoted by Agence France Presse news service as saying: “We are not forced to play ICC events. Only if conditions suit us, we will play. The MPA (ICC’s Members’ Participation Agreement) in its existing form affects BCCI’s commercial interests, gives ICC the right to change agreements unilaterally and affects the players’ interests. The MPA would affect the BCCI and the players’ interests for a period ranging from six to nine months. We are very unhappy with the way the MPA has been drafted.”
    “I think we made it very clear that we will not be able to sign the document in its current form,” BCCI treasurer N Srinivasan told Hindustan Times.

    India, which hosts the ICC’s Champions Trophy from Saturday, won the right to hold the 2011 World Cup jointly with neighbours Pakistan, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh.

    “Six months ago we circulated the MPA for our events from 2007-2015 to our members for comment and over the subsequent months we have had extensive and fruitful negotiations with many of our members that have helped us develop the contents of the agreement to suit our mutual needs. It is thus very disappointing that the BCCI has only recently been able to review the agreement and raise its concerns,” said Mr Sonn.

    “The new MPA is significantly more flexible that the agreements that regulate participation in ICC events through to 2007. In particular, the MPA addresses all areas of concern raised by Indian players ahead of previous ICC events and provides more scope for players and boards to maintain their own interests.
    The ICC has given the BCCI till next Monday (9 October) to notify it of any and all difficulties it has with the MPA.

    About the deadline, BCCI secretary Niranjan Shah told AFP. “We have been given a deadline till Monday to inform the ICC of our objections and we will meet that date. As of now we are not in a position to sign the MPA.”

    That some sort of a compromise will be reached is almost a given considering that without India’s participation the value of the media rights for major ICC events during the eight-year period starting at the end of the ICC Cricket World Cup 2007 would get devalued by as much as 70 per cent.

    “We have been delighted with the interest shown in the next package of rights by broadcasters and media rights agencies from all over the world,” ICC chief executive Malcolm Speed has said.

    That will most certainly be a hollow statement unless the Indian board agrees to come to the party.

  • ICC welcomes Indian interest in hosting ICC Twenty20 World Championship

    ICC welcomes Indian interest in hosting ICC Twenty20 World Championship

    MUMBAI: The International Cricket Council ICC President Percy Sonn today welcomed an expression of interest from the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) to host the ICC Twenty20 World Championship in 2013.

    Sonn says, “It is very encouraging for the future of this fledgling format that even before we have hosted the first ICC Twenty20 World Championship in 2007, countries are queuing up to host future tournaments.

    “The ICC Board made a strategic decision earlier this year to leave the host of the 2013 event open when it set the calendar of ICC events through to 2015. We wanted to see how popular the new format would be before determining the most appropriate host.

    “It is still seven years away and we won’t be deciding the host for some time but it’s always good to see our Members backing the competitions that we run.”

    The inaugural ICC Twenty20 World Championship will take place next September in South Africa while the 2009 event is due to be staged in England. The expression of interest on behalf of the BCCI to host the 2013 event was made by IS Bindra at an ICC meeting in Dubai this week.

  • BCCI, Nimbus look to give domestic cricket a facelift

    BCCI, Nimbus look to give domestic cricket a facelift

    MUMBAI: For many years domestic cricket in India suffered from neglect by the administration (read Board of Control for Cricket in India – BCCI). However, the Indian cricket board, along with its television partner Nimbus, are looking to turn things around. The plan calls for rebranding of domestic cricket events as well as telecast of domestic cricket not just in India, but also abroad.

    The season kicks off from 1 October and runs till April 2007. The matches will air on Neo Sports, which is being positioned as the Home of Indian Cricket on TV. Neo Sports launches on 1 October 2006.

    BCCI VP and marketing subcommittee chairman Lalit Nodi says, “It has been a dream for us to make sure that domestic cricket is given as much importance as international cricket. We have given brand names to domestic events.

    “So the NKP Salve Challenger Trophy will now be known as Challenger Series for the NKP Salve Trophy, the Ranji Trophy – Elite Division is now titled the Super League for the Ranji Trophy, The Ranji Trophy Plate Division is now known as the Plate League, and the Deodhar Trophy is now known as the All Star Series for the Deodhar Trophy.

    “The Inter State One Day Knockout is now known as the Premier Cup. This initiative is the first of a series of exciting plans that we have in store. While we are looking to get players of the Indian national side to play, the aim is to have many stars emerge from domestic cricket. Why should there be only 11 cricket stars? We can easily have 300. We will monitor innovations as we go along. We are also looking at the mobile to promote domestic cricket. Mobile is a viral medium courtesy features like SMS and this is an area that we are looking to tap into. This will provide a value add for fans who want to follow their team.”

    Nimbus Chairman Harish Thawani says, “This has been a three month process of us working with the BCCI so that our goals were aligned. When we telecast the Challenger Trophy last year on a recently launched network (Zee Sports) it managed TRPs of 1.93. This shows that television does bring in an audience for domestic cricket.

    “What we are doing though is not just a branding exercise. We worked with the BCCI on the scheduling. A lot of time went into working on the logistics. The aim is that domestic cricket should not overlap with the days on which the Indian national side is playing. The one day matches will be day/night fixtures. Over 80 per cent of ODI matches will be day/night encounters.

    “We have also managed to persuade licensees globally to air domestic cricket. So domestic cricket will be seen in the UK on Sky Sports, in Australia on Fox Sports, in Malaysia on Astro and in Africa on Super Sport. On the net it will be webcast on www.willow.tv. We are also expecting to announce a deal in the US.”

    Thawani, however, adds that it will take one season to see what impact the push being given to domestic cricket has had.

    BCCI member IS Bindra was frank enough to admit that it was the BCCI’s fault that domestic cricket has languished to the extent that hardly any people come out to watch matches. “There was a time when a Deodhar Trophy match would have 70,000 people in attendance. One of the failings of the BCCI in the past has been the lack of attention given to domestic cricket. We are looking to correct this. Television coverage by Nimbus will attract people to the arena. It will give viewers the feeling that something of importance is happening. Last year when the Challenger Trophy was telecast we had a 70 per cent attendance on the ground. For the final it was 100 per cent full. In Australia often the finals of the domestic season have a better attendance than some international one day matches.

    “In England the tickets for the final matches of the domestic season are booked a year in advance. I don’t see why we cannot approach that level with proper marketing of our product. Aggressive marketing helps and a good example is the BCCI rankings for domestic cricket which will be launched next month. We have managed to raise 10-15 times more than what the ICC has managed for their rankings. We are on the brink of a revolution as far as domestic cricket is concerned.”

    Thawani adds that Nimbus is looking to sell daily news packages of domestic cricket to news channels.

    One important issue is that of advertising. It is no secret that viewers are unhappy about the sheer volume of ads in a match. Often one sees five balls in an over instead of six as the channel has gone for an ad break at the fall of a wicket. Thawani says that an automated playout system is being put in place so that not a ball is lost. There will be no manual override.

    Modi says that this issue is being taken seriously by the BCCI. It has in fact mandated that it cannot happen. “If ads are put in when a wicket falls instead of a channel showing replays of the wicket taken and a ball is lost then it is a breach of contract,” Modi asserted.

  • Call to experiment with new platforms, technologies: CII seminar

    Call to experiment with new platforms, technologies: CII seminar

    MUMBAI: While new technologies have the risk of copyright violation it is important for the Indian entertainment industry to explore the possibilities offered by new delivery platforms whether it is IPTV, mobile, DTH.

    At the same time the rights situation particularly for the film industry needs to be made clearer.

    This was one of the points stressed at a panel discussion organised as part of the Confederation of Indian Industries (CII) Legal Workshop this morning. The speakers were Sony head – licensing and telephony Kaushal Modi, Hutchison Essar VP value added services S.P. Narayanan, UTV VP international Ashoka Holla and consultant Raj Tilak. The session was moderated by Tata Teleservices VP value added services Pankaj Sethi.

    Modi pointed out that with new distribution platforms emerging the rights situation for the older film titles is not clear. There is more clarity regarding the newer titles but there is more work to be done. Definitions need to be clear like Vod, Pay per view.

    Tilak says that the film industry needs to come together and form a common standard that will be adhered to by both buyers and sellers. A common body needs to be set up who will interpret the rights situation in a uniform manner. In the US for instance video on demand is not a right by itself. It is segmented in different platforms. Unfortunately among some Indian filmmakers there is a lack of understanding about the emerging technologies. So perhaps distributors of content need to sit down with content creators and explain to them the different ways in which content can be exploited for the mutual benefit of both parties.

    He also suggests a robust system of arbitration be put in place. So any dispute over revenue sharing or who has the rights can be brought before a panel whose word in the matter will be final.

    Holla said that content creators compound the situation by sometime abusing the rights of their own property. So sometimes the DVD release date is brought forward and is available before the film has had a decent run in theatres. For UTV which distributes its own films and those of other producers this poses a problem he says. Creators need to respect the different windows of release.

    Modi spoke about the need for content owners to experiment with new platforms and modes of distribution. He gave the example of music ringtones which have become very profitable despite the music industry’s fear of copyright issues in new media.

    The situation though requires planning on the part of the content creator and provider says Modi. It is not that there is a simply readymade new media platform that a content owner whether it is film or television can just put his offerings on and then start making money. The platform has to be grown and content has to be tailored. He says that Sony is experimenting with its own content rather than what is aggregated. When it acquires content like formats it is usually for all formats to avoid confusion later on.

    Sure some people try to use software to forward ringtones and wallpapers on the mobile but that is small compared to the opportunity that exists. Another area of new media is mobile. Here too there are grey areas. A case in point is SMS updates on cricket news scores. While cricket news is available if it is used by a mobile operator for commercial purposes then a case can be made that there is a copyright issue. Right now a lot of operators offer cricket scores and updates. However the BCCI is wisening up and is looking at the mobile as a huge opportunity.

    After all if news channels pay for news clips of cricket matches then why shouldn’t mobile firms pay for using scores to boost their SMS facility. There is a case going on in the Madras High Court regarding the use of SMS to offer cricket scores. The Formula One body got strict on use of SMS alerts on race status.

    Another new media arena that can be looked at as a friend rather than a foe are the community sites like myspace. There are videos uploaded some of which are copyrighted. At the same time content creators can use community sites which attract millions of users as a place to sell their product offerings in the form of paid downloads.

    Narayanan dwelt on how compression techynology has helped the mobile become a tool for value added offerings. Now one can download full music tracks. Java and bluetooth has taken mobile gaming to another level. The memory storage in handsets will grow. Therefore mobile games can afford to become more complex and content rich. data connections speeds have grown. So content can be relayde to diffeernt devices.

  • India TV stands by cricket story; Modi threatens legal action

    India TV stands by cricket story; Modi threatens legal action

    NEW DELHI: Taking umbrage of what it termed “misreporting,” the Lalit Modi-headed Rajasthan Cricket Association (RCA) announced it will file a legal suit against the Rajat Sharma promoted India TV Similar action will also be taken against a widely circulated Hindi daily, Punjab Kesari, an official statement from RCA stated.

    The statement added that Modi, president of RCA and vice-president of the Board for Control of Cricket in India (BCCI), has taken “strong exception to the malicious, fabricated (and) distorted reporting” by a section of print and electronic media, while reporting a survey by income tax authorities on RCA office premises in Jaipur on 1 September.

    When contacted, India TV said it stands by the story and added it was “duty-bound to report facts without fear or favour, howsoever inconvenient” they may be to the parties who are being probed by income tax authorities in Rajasthan and Mumbai.

    RCA has contended that while the aforementioned two media organizations said a raid was conducted in the middle of the night, it was a “routine survey” that did not place in the middle of night.

    Apart from some other ‘disputed’ facts, the regional cricket body, which has been a platform for Modi to contest against some former BCCI officials, also said the visuals telecast were not of the RCA.

    Legal counsel for the RCA Mehmood Abdi, was quoted in the official statement as saying, “RCA and Mr. Lalit Modi have decided to take legal action against all such publishers and broadcasters, particularly India TV of Mr Rajat Sharma and Punjab Kesari, for deliberately twisting facts of an interactive session, which took place between the RCA officials and the income tax authorities.”

    Pointing out that the tax authorities came for “verification of records”, Abdi said media “preferred” to describe it as “raid and seizure of records and recovery of cash from RCA office.”

  • Percept bags three BCCI tenders for Malaysian Tri-series

    Percept bags three BCCI tenders for Malaysian Tri-series

    MUMBAI: Percept has bagged three tenders floated by the BCCI totaling a deal that’s around Rs 750 million. BCCI had earlier invited tenders for the official provider of the Indian team’s formal wear and accessories, the BCCI ratings and awards and the ground rights for the Malayasian tri-series to be held between India, West Indies and Australia from 12 – 24 September 2006.

    The BCCI Ratings and Awards was bagged at an overall price of $ 6.41 million spread over a period of five years. Percept Holdings president – corporate affairs Ajay Upadhyay said, “We believe there is an opportunity in the market. This kind of a rating system will drive more enthusiasm and participation towards this game and ensure higher competitive levels and bring about excellence in the game. The intent is to have a strong public participation in the ratings.”

    Percept will be announcing their partners very shortly. According to the deal, it would create, conceptualise and manage the ratings in consultation with BCCI.

    Percept assisted Pantaloons to bag the rights to formal wear and accessories at a deal that is pegged around Rs 200 million over a period of four years. Pantaloons would have the rights to provide these garments and market them as the official team clothing for five years and will cover the Under-19 and Women’s Cricket as well.

    Percept Holdings joint managing director Shailendra Singh said, “Future Group (Pantaloons) has emerged as one of the biggest players in the Retail business today. I am sure that the partnership with BCCI will be the start of a very long relationship. It is a company of international standing with a wide network across the country. Cricket is a religion in India and high quality fashion endorsed by the team will find popular acceptance through the Pantaloons retail network.”

    PDM International, a Percept Group Company, has also bagged the exclusive ground rights for the Malayasian Tri-series. The tournament rights were awarded to PDM International by the BCCI Marketing Committee headed by Sharad Pawar at Delhi, on 20 August, 2006 for a price of $ 5.14 million.

    PDM International beat five other bidders to bag the rights for the series. Nimbus, 21st Century Management, Laqshya Media, Right Angle and Reliance (who chose not to bid) were the other bidders in the fray for the exclusive ground rights to the series.

    The initial bid of $ 4.15 by PDM International was raised to $ 5.14 million after news of cancellation of the bi-lateral series in Sri Lanka due to the inclement weather. The reason cited in an official release was that this would definitely ensure greater viewer interest in the forthcoming Malaysian tri-series and hence increases the value of the series further.

    The bagging of ground rights is not a first for PDM International. It had earlier bagged the bid for sponsorship rights for the India-Pakistan one-day series held in Abu Dhabi on 18 and 19 April, 2006.

    Added Singh, “We understand the sport and the potential it has. Our cumulative business in cricket over the past decade has exceeded Rs 10 billion through sponsorships, ground rights, events, celebrity management services and coverage. Percept Holdings is utilizing various opportunities to enter new markets overseas. We entered the Middle East when we bagged the rights for the Indo-Pak series in Abu Dhabi earlier this year and the Malaysian Tri-series gives us a strategic opportunity to venture into the Asia-Pacific region and showcase our expertise in the media and sports entertainment domain. “