Reports: BCCI to release bilateral tender soon

A view of logo BCCI logo. (Photo by Aniruddha Chowhdury/Mint via Getty Images)

The Board of Control for Cricket in India are all set to release the media rights for the bilateral series. The event is expected to happen within the next couple of days but reports claim that  Ernst & Young, BCCI’s consultant, have already informed the potential parties that the much-awaited announcement will be made by Tuesday, July 25. On the other hand, BCCI has set August 19, as the target to sell the media rights as the winner will be allowed to broadcast India’s matches live for the next five years.

Meanwhile, the interested parties are still unaware if the method of the sale will be via e-auction or close bidding. BCCI are yet to decide on the matter but a decision is expected soon. Close bidding was extremely successful during the sale of IPL’s broadcast rights and thus, it is likely that the board will follow the same path.

On the other hand, as per Cricbuzz, the exact number of matches and their breakdown in terms of Tests, ODIs, and T20Is has not been finalized. In the last cycle, India played close to 100 international matches as far as bilateral series are concerned and the number is expected to be somewhere close in the upcoming cycle as well. A thorough breakdown is expected when the governing cycle finalises its FTP till 2027.

Disney Star paid BCCI whopping INR 6138.10 Crore for media rights in last cycle

Notably, in the last cycle, BCCI had sold the bilateral rights to Disney Star for INR 6138.10 Crore. To simplify, the conglomerate was paying the governing body INR 61 crore per match and the number is expected to rise this year. A lot of new players have emerged in recent times, and thus, a feisty battle is expected.

Smelling a thrilling competition, BCCI is likely to increase the base price of the tender. The media rights will also be sold in various packages, mainly, television and digital. Bidders will not have the opportunity to present a consolidated package bid and hence, a lot of parties will show interest. Meanwhile, other packages, such as the non-India/rest of the world rights, will also be available.