BCCI invites bid for IPL mobile, radio and internet rights

New Delhi, Mar 8 (PTI) The BCCI on Tuesday floated
tenders for mobile, radio and internet besides global
broadcast rights for certain territories for the IPL matches
to be played during 2011 to 2014.
"The Indian Premier League, a sub-committee of the BCCI,
invites bids in respect of global Internet and mobile rights
along with certain television rights," the Board of Control
for Cricket in India (BCCI) said in a public announcement.
The board is selling radio rights, excluding for the
Middle East, besides worldwide internet and mobile rights.
It is also inviting bids for worldwide television
broadcast excluding territories of the Indian sub-continent,
Australia, South Africa, Middle East, the Caribbean, Hong Kong
and Singapore.
At present, Multi Screen Media (MSM), owners of Set Max,
holds the broadcasting rights of the domestic T20 league until
2017. The firm, along with World Sports Group, had signed a
deal with BCCI in 2007 for Rs 8,200 crore.
However, in June last, a new deal was renegotiated
between the BCCI and MSM which kept WSG (World Sport Group)
out of the broadcast deal after the cricket control body.
This was after it uncovered alleged financial
irregularities in the award of contract by ex-IPL Commissioner
Lalit Modi in the form of payment of a facilitation fee of Rs
425 crore.
As per BCCI's latest announcement, interested
broadcasters, internet operators, mobile network operators are
required to submit bids on or before March 20, 2011 at its
Chennai office.
"The winning bids will be announced in the manner set out
in the invitation of tender," it added.
Tenders forms can be obtained from March 8 to March 15
at the IPL office in India's western state Mumbai on payment
of a Rs 2 lakh non-refundable demand draft, it said.
While specifying the eligibility criteria for bidding,
the BCCI has clarified any agency or company which has
intention to resell the rights later on will not be eligible
to bid.