Sony-WSG consortium bags IPL rights

Sony Entertainment Television and sports marketing and management agency World Sports Group (WSG) have won the broadcasting rights for the Indian Premier League (IPL) for $1.03 billion (around Rs 4,000 crore) for ten years.

The amount, which is one of the biggest telecast deals in Indian cricket, includes $108 million (nearly Rs 424 crore) for compulsory promotional spends.

The consortium had competition from sports channel ESPN-Star Sports and news and entertainment broadcaster NDTV, for which this would have been its first foray into cricket broadcasting.

Confirming the development, Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) vice- president Lalit Modi said, "We are glad that we have found the right media partners. Sony has done a good job in the past with the ICC rights, we expect it to do the same with IPL."

Nimbus Communications, which owns the domestic rights of all international matches played in India till 2010 (for $612 million), did not participate.

Modi added that ESPN-STAR Sports' bid was conditional and, therefore, disqualified. NDTV needed more time and backed out.

Speaking to Business Standard, CEO of Sony Entertainment Television Kunal Dasgupta said, "WSG will explore the international market while Sony will cater to the subcontinent."

He added that the partners would now decide how to chalk out the programming and ad sales strategy. Sony began its foray into sports broadcasting after it grabbed the rights for two ICC World Cups.

IPL, which will kick off in April, will host 56 matches in the Twenty20 format and will have international and domestic cricketers playing in eight teams.

The tournament is based on the annual soccer competition the English Premier League and each team will be owned by a company.

The company will have to buy team ownership rights from BCCI for around $50 million. This apart, the company will have to deal separately with each cricketer it wants in its team.

IPL faces competition from the Zee group floated India Cricket League, which has begun but has faced poor response from advertisers.