The Hindu : Sport : TV rights: BCCI sets fresh deadline

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Tuesday, Aug 23, 2005

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Sport

TV rights: BCCI sets fresh deadline

Special Correspondent

Mumbai: After integrating an addendum to the Invitation To Tender (ITT) the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has set a fresh deadline of 2 p.m., August 26 to receive sealed bids for its four-year television rights from October 1, 2005 to September 30, 2009. The original deadline for the eligible bidders was to close at the BCCI office in Mumbai on August 23.

Sports television broadcasters such as ESPN-STAR Sports, Ten Sports, Zee Sports, Doordarshan and SET Max, which have already taken forms from the BCCI office, have been informed of the fresh deadline with an addendum to a particular eligibility clause.

The eligibility clause in the BCCI's tender invitation had said that `only those entitles that own and control 24-hours television programming services and have own existing channel as well as first hand experience of having successfully shown in its own channel live' international cricket matches (Tests/One-day internationals) as Original First Licensee of the Event Owner during each of the last three years (2002, 2003, 2004) prior to the date of notification of ITT, shall be eligible to submit offers. Mere purchase of ITT by any entity which does not qualify, would not provide any right to either submit tender or consideration thereof.''

Clarifying further, the BCCI said it would not accept bid by consortium groups/agencies.

SET Max's has Television Rights of International Cricket Council (ICC) Events like the Junior and Senior World Cups and the Champions Trophy up to 2007. But it signed a deal with Global Cricket Corporation (GCC), which actually represented the Event Owner, ICC. The operative part of the addendum with regard to the Original First License says that "Except that the Original First Licence being executed by any agency for/or on behalf of the original event owner.'' This will pave the way for SET Max to bid for the BCCI's four-year broadcasting rights.

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