Ten Sports claims Rs 208cr loss

Final figure seen higher, to be given to SC on April 15.

Even as the Supreme Court allowed Prasar Bharati to telecast the ongoing India-Pakistan cricket series on its terrestrial network, Cable Distribution Network, a Modi Enterprises company that distributes Ten Sports in India, said it would suffer damages worth Rs 208 crore for sharing its feed with the state broadcaster.

The company said the damages reflected the loss in subscription revenue arising from the live telecast of the series on Prasar Bharati's free-to-air Doordarshan channel.

Cable Distribution Network President Lalit Modi indicated at a press conference yesterday that the final damages could be higher. "This is an interim estimate. The final figure will be made available to the court at the final hearing on April 15," Modi said, though he refused to elaborate on how his company arrived at the Rs 208 crore figure.

The submission came after the apex court passed an interim order asking Prasar Bharati to telecast Ten Sports's feed on its network along with the company's logo and advertisements without any interruption or tampering. Ten Sports has agreed to provide the feed from 30 minutes before start of play to 30 minutes after close.

"The Supreme Court has recognised that money is due to us as our exclusive distribution rights are being compromised in larger public interest," Modi said even as he claimed that today's interim order was a commercial disaster for Ten Sports.

Taj Television Pvt Ltd worldwide CEO Chris McDonald said at a press conference that damages could also arise from Doordarshan's signals being available in other Asian countries. He added that the Supreme Court had assured them that the damages would be paid by Prasar Bharati.

"This assurance of the honourable Supreme Court can be taken together with the voluntary statement of Attorney-General Soli Sorabjee that in the event of a breach of contract, Doordarshan will be liable to pay the consequent damages," he said.

The Supreme Court today asked Prasar Bharati to deposit another Rs 40 crore besides the Rs 10 crore it was asked to deposit on Monday for showing the Rawalpindi match.

McDonald did not rule out revising the channel's advertisement rates for the series since the telecast would now be available to a larger audience, though he added that there was not enough time available for that.

"We were working round a business model that has now changed," he said. He refused to comment when asked if advertisers had made claims on Ten Sports for having to buy time on Doordarshan during the Karachi tie.