BCCI opens tender bids for IPL broadcast rights

Board's current deal with Sony Pictures Network India (SPNI) expires after the 2017 edition

NEW DELHI: The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) on Sunday opened the tender process for allocating the broadcast rights of the cash-rich Indian Premier League (IPL) in the hope of securing billions of dollars.

The board's current deal with Sony Pictures Network India (SPNI) expires after the 2017 IPL edition, and therefore the cricket governing body in the country started the tender process for television and five digital platforms rights for the 10-year period starting from 2018.

BCCI president Anurag Thakur called the bid "historic" as he presented the layout of the tender bid's terms and conditions. "IPL is the most popular cricket league in the world, so it is very important for us to make it transparent when we announce the next tender process," Thakur told reporters in New Delhi.

World Sports Group bagged the IPL television rights in 2008 for a 10-year period for $918 million. It signed a deal with Multi Screen Media Pvt Ltd (MSM) making Sony the official broadcaster.

The contract was redone before the 2009 IPL, with Multi Screen Media working out a $1.63 billion deal for nine years with the BCCI.

The IPL has emerged as the most watched T20 league all over the world with international stars participating in the tournament played between April and May.