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DD to award Internet rights for cricket matches

Doordarshan has decided to award four-year Internet rights for the cricket matches organised by the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), to companies on an annual license fee of Rs. 25 lakh.

The license, however, will be on a non-exclusive basis and will exclude the multimedia rights. "The objective is to popularise cricket on the Internet. Which is why we have not given the rights to any one on an exclusive basis," a senior DD official said.

The Internet company will have the right to host a Web site where it can put text and graphics. If the license-holder, however, desires to have live and delayed streaming audio and video after obtaining the Internet rights from Prasar Bharati, it will have to approach Stracon-TWI who hold the multimedia rights.
The non-exclusive license for Internet rights include scoreboard, analysis, graphics, stills (up to 30 frames per minute from the live signal) and interviews with players (this may include pitch report, weather report, interview on the captains, players and experts). The events would consist of 27 days of international cricket and 21 days of national matches played in the country and staged by the BCCI.

Prasar Bharati has not set any deadline for obtaining the rights. "An Internet company can apply at any time," a DD official said.
Prasar Bharati sold the multimedia rights early this year to Stracon-TWI, alongwith global marketing rights for $43.75 million. Stracon India chief Siddharth Ray believes the demand for streaming of audio and video from Internet companies would incr-ease. "It makes our property hot. We have the potential of making more sale, depending on how many companies take Internet rights.’’

Stracon-TWI has already struck 10-12 deals with different broadcasters in countries like North America, South Africa, UK, Asia-Pacific, Australia and New Zealand. "We have not sold out in only three territories - Pakistan, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh. But these are low-value territories, worth a couple of million dollars," Ray said.

Will Doordarshan attract buyers for the Internet rights? Sports sites will definitely be keen. Besides, the payment of Rs 1 crore for four years seems to be reasonable, media analysts said.
Though Doordarshan paid a whopping Rs. 250 crore to obtain the five-year cricket telecast rights from BCCI, the state-owned broadcaster has made big money. It sold the domestic marketing rights to Buddha Films for Rs. 450 crore, besides getting Rs. 200 crore from Stracon-TWI.

Marketing agent Buddha Films, though, is estimated to have lost money on the first of the nine series it has the airtime rights to sell. The company, market sources said, made just Rs. 14 crore when it had to earn Rs. 50 crore to break even.

Sibabrata Das