ITV

Tag: PCB

  • No Indo-Pak series in 2017, confirms Najam Sethi

    No Indo-Pak series in 2017, confirms Najam Sethi

    MUMBAI: It is a well-known fact that Indo-Pak matches get a significant share of revenues compared to other matches in the cricketing world, irrespective of the venue and the tournament. PCB executive committee (EC) head Najam Sethi has ruled out the possibility of an Indo-Pak bilateral series in 2017.

    Sethi told reporters that the existing circumstances will take time to change and he hopes India does not avoids playing them in the Champions Trophy next year in England. The 67-year-old former journalist also said that Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) will follow government-issued directives to boycott all sporting ties with India, likely to be passed by the Ministry of Inter-Provincial Coordination of Pakistan.

    Inflicting a major blow to sponsors and advertisers in India, Sethi also ruled out any possibility of Indo-Pak cricket on Indian soil. The cricket head said that the Pakistan Cricket Team will never go to play on Indian soil again, saying that the Indian Cricket team will have to play at a venue of their choice, as Pakistan will be hosting the series, if any. After the terror attack on Sri Lankan Cricket team in March 2009, no major cricketing nation has toured Pakistan due to security concerns.

    In 2004, the PCB was bankrupt before the Indian cricket team traveled to the neighboring country. At the end of the year, the organization reported a profit in excess of INR 200 crore that year. It has been reported that the PCB has lost over US$80 million in terms of broadcasting and other commercial rights not playing against India.

    The 2011 World Cup semi-final between India and Pakistan had 988 million television viewers, attracting over a million viewers on some instances in the past according to TV rating firms. Ad experts say that the rate of a 10-seconder for an Indian match is usually 10-13 lakh, which soars up to 20 lakh in an Indo-Pak game.

    Sethi re-iterated that India should not boycott Pakistan at ICC events, as it will see a drop in large chunk of the revenues which is dependent on this never-ending rivalry. Sethi told reporters that it would be a huge financial loss for everyone including the ICC if India boycotts Pakistan at ICC events, and both countries shouldn’t take any such step to receive their shares from cricket’s governing body.

    This might serve as a little breather to the advertisers and sponsors who gain a majority of their sporting revenue from Indo – Pak cricket matches. The rivalry between these two countries is one of the most awaited sporting events in the world and the cricket-frenzy fan-base on both sides of the border ensures it becomes an issue of national pride.

  • No Indo-Pak series in 2017, confirms Najam Sethi

    No Indo-Pak series in 2017, confirms Najam Sethi

    MUMBAI: It is a well-known fact that Indo-Pak matches get a significant share of revenues compared to other matches in the cricketing world, irrespective of the venue and the tournament. PCB executive committee (EC) head Najam Sethi has ruled out the possibility of an Indo-Pak bilateral series in 2017.

    Sethi told reporters that the existing circumstances will take time to change and he hopes India does not avoids playing them in the Champions Trophy next year in England. The 67-year-old former journalist also said that Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) will follow government-issued directives to boycott all sporting ties with India, likely to be passed by the Ministry of Inter-Provincial Coordination of Pakistan.

    Inflicting a major blow to sponsors and advertisers in India, Sethi also ruled out any possibility of Indo-Pak cricket on Indian soil. The cricket head said that the Pakistan Cricket Team will never go to play on Indian soil again, saying that the Indian Cricket team will have to play at a venue of their choice, as Pakistan will be hosting the series, if any. After the terror attack on Sri Lankan Cricket team in March 2009, no major cricketing nation has toured Pakistan due to security concerns.

    In 2004, the PCB was bankrupt before the Indian cricket team traveled to the neighboring country. At the end of the year, the organization reported a profit in excess of INR 200 crore that year. It has been reported that the PCB has lost over US$80 million in terms of broadcasting and other commercial rights not playing against India.

    The 2011 World Cup semi-final between India and Pakistan had 988 million television viewers, attracting over a million viewers on some instances in the past according to TV rating firms. Ad experts say that the rate of a 10-seconder for an Indian match is usually 10-13 lakh, which soars up to 20 lakh in an Indo-Pak game.

    Sethi re-iterated that India should not boycott Pakistan at ICC events, as it will see a drop in large chunk of the revenues which is dependent on this never-ending rivalry. Sethi told reporters that it would be a huge financial loss for everyone including the ICC if India boycotts Pakistan at ICC events, and both countries shouldn’t take any such step to receive their shares from cricket’s governing body.

    This might serve as a little breather to the advertisers and sponsors who gain a majority of their sporting revenue from Indo – Pak cricket matches. The rivalry between these two countries is one of the most awaited sporting events in the world and the cricket-frenzy fan-base on both sides of the border ensures it becomes an issue of national pride.

  • Mobile & computer prices may be affected with withdrawal of special additional duty

    Mobile & computer prices may be affected with withdrawal of special additional duty

    NEW DELHI: The Union Budget for 2016-17 is expected to result in raising the prices of mobile phones as well as personal computers.

    In his budget speech, Finance Minister Arun Jaitley said the exemption from basic customs duty, CV duty, Special Additional Duty on charger/adapter, battery and wired headsets/speakers for manufacture of mobile phone was being withdrawn and vary between four to 12.5 per cent.

    But inputs, parts and components, subparts for manufacture of charger / adapter, battery and wired headsets /speakers, of mobile phone, subject to actual user condition was being exempted.

    The exemption from Special Additional Duty (SAD) on populated PCBs for manufacture of personal computers (laptop or desktop) was being withdrawn and would go up to four per cent.

    The exemption from SAD on populated PCBs of mobile phone/tablet computer being withdrawn and the concessional SAD on populated PCBs for manufacture of mobile phone/tablet computer was being imposed at two per cent.

    The Excise duty structure on domestically manufactured charger/adapter, battery and wired headsets/speakers for supply to mobile phone manufacturers as original equipment manufacturer has been changed and will be between two to 12.5 per cent.

    At the same time, the excise duty on inputs, parts and components, subparts for manufacture of charger/adapter, battery and wired headsets/speakers of mobile phone, subject to actual user condition have being exempted from 12.5 per cent at present.

    Specified telecommunication equipment [Soft switches and Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) equipment namely VoIP phones, media gateways, gateway Product/Switch (POTP/POTS), Optical controllers and session border controllers, Optical Transport equipment; combination of one / more of Packet Optical Transport Network(OTN) products, and IP Radios, Carrier Ethernet Switch, Packet Transport Node (PTN) products, Multiprotocol Label Switching- Transport Profile (MPLS-TP) products, Multiple Input / Multiple Output (MIMO) and Long Term Evolution (LTE) Products on which 10 per cent Basic Customs Duty was imposed in 2014-15 Budget has been excluded from the purview of the other exemptions also and goes up to 10 per cent.

    The Basic Customs Duty exemption on preform of silica for manufacture of telecom grade optical fibre /cables has been withdrawn and will be 10 per cent.

    The Minister said the assignment by the Government of the right to use the radio-frequency spectrum and its subsequent transfers being declared as a service so as to make it clear that assignment of right to use the spectrum is a service leviable to service tax and not sale of intangible goods, with effect from date of enforcement of Finance Bill, 2016. It will therefore be 14 per cent. 

  • Mobile & computer prices may be affected with withdrawal of special additional duty

    Mobile & computer prices may be affected with withdrawal of special additional duty

    NEW DELHI: The Union Budget for 2016-17 is expected to result in raising the prices of mobile phones as well as personal computers.

    In his budget speech, Finance Minister Arun Jaitley said the exemption from basic customs duty, CV duty, Special Additional Duty on charger/adapter, battery and wired headsets/speakers for manufacture of mobile phone was being withdrawn and vary between four to 12.5 per cent.

    But inputs, parts and components, subparts for manufacture of charger / adapter, battery and wired headsets /speakers, of mobile phone, subject to actual user condition was being exempted.

    The exemption from Special Additional Duty (SAD) on populated PCBs for manufacture of personal computers (laptop or desktop) was being withdrawn and would go up to four per cent.

    The exemption from SAD on populated PCBs of mobile phone/tablet computer being withdrawn and the concessional SAD on populated PCBs for manufacture of mobile phone/tablet computer was being imposed at two per cent.

    The Excise duty structure on domestically manufactured charger/adapter, battery and wired headsets/speakers for supply to mobile phone manufacturers as original equipment manufacturer has been changed and will be between two to 12.5 per cent.

    At the same time, the excise duty on inputs, parts and components, subparts for manufacture of charger/adapter, battery and wired headsets/speakers of mobile phone, subject to actual user condition have being exempted from 12.5 per cent at present.

    Specified telecommunication equipment [Soft switches and Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) equipment namely VoIP phones, media gateways, gateway Product/Switch (POTP/POTS), Optical controllers and session border controllers, Optical Transport equipment; combination of one / more of Packet Optical Transport Network(OTN) products, and IP Radios, Carrier Ethernet Switch, Packet Transport Node (PTN) products, Multiprotocol Label Switching- Transport Profile (MPLS-TP) products, Multiple Input / Multiple Output (MIMO) and Long Term Evolution (LTE) Products on which 10 per cent Basic Customs Duty was imposed in 2014-15 Budget has been excluded from the purview of the other exemptions also and goes up to 10 per cent.

    The Basic Customs Duty exemption on preform of silica for manufacture of telecom grade optical fibre /cables has been withdrawn and will be 10 per cent.

    The Minister said the assignment by the Government of the right to use the radio-frequency spectrum and its subsequent transfers being declared as a service so as to make it clear that assignment of right to use the spectrum is a service leviable to service tax and not sale of intangible goods, with effect from date of enforcement of Finance Bill, 2016. It will therefore be 14 per cent. 

  • Zaheer Abbas becomes new ICC president

    Zaheer Abbas becomes new ICC president

    MUMBAI: International Cricket Council (ICC) has appointed former Pakistan captain Zaheer Abbas as the new ICC president. The announcement was made during the ongoing ICC Annual Conference week in Barbados.

     

    Abbas who has already begun his one-year term, thanked the ICC board and the full council for confirming his nomination. He said, “I feel truly honored and humbled to be appointed as the president of the governing body of our great game. This is the sport which has given us friendship, respect, recognition and an opportunity to serve our countries in different capacities. Personally speaking, it has given me more than I can ever possibly repay.”

     

    He further added, “I am thankful to all of you for the support and confidence placed in me by confirming my nomination. I am also grateful to the PCB for proposing my candidacy as the ICC president. I assure you all that I will stand shoulder to shoulder with all the ICC members as we continue to strive to inspire more and more people to fall in love with the game we cherish.”

     

    ICC chairman N.Srinivasan said, “Zaheer’s outstanding career as a stylish right-handed batsman is reflected in his remarkable record with 108 first-class hundreds and more than 7,500 international runs. Zaheer is clearly an iconic cricketer who always played the game with skill, flair and in the true spirit. He is a worthy ambassador of our great game.”

     

    Abbas, 67, played 78 Tests and 62 ODIs from 1969 to 1985 in which he scored 5,062 and 2,572 runs, respectively. He also played in the 1975, 1979 and 1983 ICC Cricket World Cups and captained Pakistan in 14 Tests and 13 ODIs. With 108 centuries, Abbas is the only Asian batsman to score a century of first-class centuries as he finished his 22-year career with 34,843 runs.

     

    He was also an ICC match referee in the 1993 series between Sri Lanka and the West Indies in Sri Lanka.

  • Pakistan Cricket Board renews deal with Ten Sports for next five years

    Pakistan Cricket Board renews deal with Ten Sports for next five years

    MUMBAI: The Board of Governors from the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) have approved awarding broadcasting rights to Ten Sports and Pakistan Television, the joint-bidders for PCB’s next rights cycle for five years.

     

    Ten Sports had previously bagged five-year cricket rights from PCB in 2008 reportedly for $140.5 million dollars. The current cycle of rights begins from April 2015 to early 2020. Ten Sports has been the rights holder for PCB for the last 10 years.

     

    The package will also include India versus Pakistan matches, besides some other strong matches. According to information available with Indiantelevision.com, among those bidding for the rights for this cycle were Sony and OSN Sports, apart from a few brokering companies. 

     

    As part of the arrangement, India and Pakistan matches are scheduled for the latter half of this year around November-December 2015, subject to government approvals from both sides.

     

    When contacted, Ten Sports CEO Rajesh Sethi said, “Ten Sports is a market leader in the sports segment in Pakistan. When it comes to cricket, we have a great partnership with PTV as they are our valued partners. Besides cricket, Moto GP and WWE too are very strong properties that are performing well in Pakistan.”

  • IND-PAK may face-off in 6 test series between 2015 and 2023

    IND-PAK may face-off in 6 test series between 2015 and 2023

    MUMBAI: If there is one face-off in the sport of cricket that is more anticipated and watched than the Ashes, it has to be India taking on arch rivals Pakistan.

     

    The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has expressed interest in rekindling its relationship with the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) to play at least six home and away test series between the boards in the next eight-year FTP cycle between 2015 and 2023, which will also include an “off-shore” home series in the United Arab Emirates. 

     

    According to a few media reports, the PCB awaits a final confirmation from the BCCI following its working committee meeting that is expected to take place in the next 15 days. It will then enable the PCB to work out a long-term broadcasting deal with regular India series at its centre. 

     

    Earlier PCB chairman Najam Sethi had made it clear that Pakistan’s conditional support for the ICC revamp depends on the promise of said number of series against India. The change in the PCB’s stance has taken place on the condition that Pakistan would be involved in bilateral series against all Full Members, including India. 

     

    It is learnt that all the nine member boards have confirmed their earlier commitments with PCB until 2020 and are chalking out a fresh plan for the period from 2020 to 2023. 

     

    The BCCI could look to slot in as many as six series against Pakistan, due to the gaps that are available in the existing FTP calendar. The first of these bilateral series could take place in the UAE in the winter of 2015.

     

    India and Pakistan have not played a full series since the 26/11 terror attacks in Mumbai. Pakistan visited India for a short limited-over series in December 2012 which included three ODIs and two T20 Internationals. The PCB estimates that after committing to the ICC revamp, the financial benefits could reach PKR 30 billion from the bilateral ties, the major chunk of which will be earned from hosting India.

  • Cricket: BCCI debunks bidders’ objections

    Cricket: BCCI debunks bidders’ objections

    NEW DELHI/MUMBAI: Cricket and controversy in India are synonymous now.

    The latest round of allegation and counter-elucidations relates to overseas cricket telecast rights for Indo-Pakistan cricket matches to be played in neutral venues with one set of bidders alleging “irregularities” in the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI).
    The charge that the Indian cricket board is allegedly biased towards Sahara One Media & Entertainment, which is presently telecasting the ongoing India-England home cricket series on Sahara One channel, however, has been dismissed by the BCCI as “making a mountain of a molehill.”

    If that’s not enough, media reports from Pakistan hint that while the BCCI is going ahead full steam with the proposed cricket matches — 25 in number over a period of few years — actually no formal agreement exist between it and the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB), which is as much owners of the cricket matches as the Indian cricket board.

    On the last day of submission of financial bids for Indo-Pak cricket on neutral venues, some companies like Zee Telefilms, ESPN Star Sports and Nimbus today have alleged that tender documents criteria “seem to have been totally ignored by Sahara in the bid submission process.”

    Not only one of the bidders has written a letter to the BCCI president and agriculture minister Sharad Pawar, after marking it to other officials like the marketing head chief Lalit Modi, but a sequence of happenings as it happened have been detailed.

    BCCI has fixed a reserve price of $ 5 million dollars a match and the total revenue generated could be in excess of $120 million.

    The basic thrust of the allegations listed in the letter, a copy of which is available with Indiantelevision.com, is not only the Sahara group submitted its bids after the deadline of 11 a.m. today, but also flouted a condition of bringing the bids in open envelopes.

    “…the Sahara financial bid was in unsealed condition and was actually taken out of the envelope for approximately 10 to 15 seconds,” the letter states, adding that all the other bidders present objected to it and lodged their formal protest on Sahara’s late arrival too.

    While Sahara One Media and Entertainment refused to make any comments when contacted by Indiantelevision.com, BCCI vice-president Modi dismissed the allegations by saying the other bidders were simply splitting hairs over a small issue.

    “There has been no irregularity,” Modi insisted, “If people feel that on a small technical issue, we would disqualify a newcomer (Sahara has never bagged telecast rights till the recent India-England series), then they have to think again.”

    According to Modi, the other companies were attempting to form a “cartel” in an effort to hammer down the prices.

    “It almost seems that some companies are ganging up against a newcomer’s entry. It also seems a cartel is being attempted so that the price (of the telecast rights) could be lowered,” Modi told Indiantelevision.com.

    Asked whether the BCCI has a formal deal with the PCB before going ahead with sale of telecast rights of Indo-Pak cricket, Modi criticized the Pakistani media for raising unimportant issues, which are of “no consequence.”

    “The very fact that we are going ahead with the bidding process shows that PCB and the BCCI have an understanding. Has the PCB said anything formally?” the businessman-turned-sports administrator countered

    Meanwhile, the protest letter concludes by stating, “We believe that the new BCCI administration has conducted the earlier tender processes with complete transparency and fairness. There have been instances in the past, where companies have been disqualified on technical grounds.

    “Keeping these facts in mind, we trust that in all fairness, the Sahara financial bid should not be considered. We are hopeful that the BCCI will take a fair decision on this occasion as well.”

    Whether the BCCI takes note of the protests lodged by the likes of Zee, ESS and Nimbus can only be gauged when the financial bids are opened on Thursday (6 April) and the successful candidate announced