IPL media rights sealed at Rs 48,390 crore: Disney-Star get TV, Viacom digital; Times Internet gets overseas rights

Walt Disney Co., Viacom18-led JV and Times Internet have turned out to be the big winners in the Indian Premier League (IPL) media rights e-auction for the 2023-27 cycle that concluded over a period of three days on Tuesday evening. By the time the e-auction was done, the BCCI - parent body that runs the IPL - was laughing its way to the bank, having pocketed a handsome Rs 48,390 crore across the four buckets sold. IPL MEDIA RIGHTS AUCTION: AS IT HAPPENEDDisney and Viacom had won Packages A and B - TV and digital in India - on the morning of Day Two of the auction for Rs 44,075 crore with Disney bidding at Rs 57.5 crore per game (total of Rs 23,575) for TV and Viacom bidding Rs 50 crore per game (total of Rs 20,500 crore) for digital. Later, between Day Two and Three, Viacom grabbed Package C - the set of 98 non-exclusive matches on digital across five years - at Rs 33.24 crore per match (total of Rs 3,258). Disney, along with the Zee Group, began bidding heavily for Package C on Day Three, taking the price up from a base price of Rs 16 crore per game but Viacom had "made up its mind" to as much premium it would take and retain the package. Exclusivity, say those in the know, remained everything between Packages B & C.

Times Internet bagged MENA and US sectors, while Viacom18 won the rights of Australia, SA, UK territories.

"The bid is a direct testimony to the BCCI's organizational capabilities despite two pandemic years. Since its inception, the IPL has been synonymous with growth and today is a red-letter day for India Cricket," BCCI secretary Jay Shah said.

In the list of bidders for TV that was won by Disney, Sony was second in the competition followed by Viacom. Those tracking developments were "surprised" Sony