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Star India has snapped up the internet and mobile rights for the Indian Premier League (IPL) for seasons 2015 through 2017 for the Indian subcontinent. Additionally, it has won the television and digital rights for overseas territories, except the United Kingdom and United States of America.
The network had bid for the rights through its wholly-owned subsidiary, Novi Digital Entertainment Pvt Ltd. In 2014, Star India licensed the digital rights from Bennett Coleman’s Times Internet Ltd and the two companies shared the said rights. In 2011, TIL had won the rights for Rs 261 crore for a duration of four years (seasons 2011 through 2014). Thus, for the 2014 season, the IPL was streamed live on the television network’s multi-sports platform starsports.com. According to a statement by the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), the rights have been awarded to Star India for a cumulative fee of Rs 302 crore for the three seasons. The cumulative reserve price for the said rights (across three years) was Rs 120 crore. Star India currently has two digital platforms in India, starsports.com and hotstar. “We are yet to decide where to put the IPL and how,” said a company official. Both the digital platforms come under Novi Digital Entertainment, which was established in 2014.
Bids from three entities TIL and Multi Screen Media Pvt Ltd (MSM) and Novi Digital Entertainment Pvt Ltd were received. MSM continues to hold the broadcast rights for the tournament in the subcontinent (India, Bangladesh, Bhutan, and Nepal) up to 2017. “Our partnership with Novi Digital Entertainment Pvt Ltd augurs well for the Pepsi IPL as well as millions of fans who follow the tournament and we are delighted to commence an association with the organisation whose bid was found to be the most deserving,” said Sanjay Patel of BCCI.
This means that the sports broadcaster will be investing Rs 2,203 crore a ar on India cricket rights until 2017. This includes the rights to international BCCI tournaments played in India (2012-18), International Cricket Council rights (2015-23) and Champions League T20 rights (2008-17).
