Broadcasters raise concern over ICC tender

BCCI recently auctioned off IPL broadcasting rights to Star India and Viacom18. Star India's winning bid was worth INR 23,575, while Viacom shelled out INR 23,758, creating a whopping bid worth INR 48,390, making the league's broadcasting rights one of the most expensive in the world. 

Concerning the ICC tender, the board has announced that it will not go for an e-auction. However, the board has planned to have a closed auction event. 

Broadcasters have touted ICC’s decision and also requested an e-auction, similar to the recent BCCI auction. 

ICC replied that the closed bid was a decision the executive members made and that the winning bid won't be made public. 

"The ICC's tender document is expected to mandate that after the closed bids come in - the broadcasters have a choice to put in a bid of four years or eight years or both - the ICC's internal team will study the bids and only reveal the winning bid and no other detail,"

When questioned about the secrecy, Greg Barclay was firm with his stand; he replied that ICC is convinced of a closed bid. However, administrators have a different view of it. ICC has calculated all the possible approaches and found the best one. ICC has offered a 4-year and an 8-year bid and is firm with its decision. 

"There are alternative views that the broadcasters hold, I know, who would prefer to do it differently. But they're our rights, and we've chosen to take them to market, and as I say, that's based on some fairly extensive research, advice and understanding of the market. So, we've decided that we will hit the market on that basis." he concluded.