BBC turns down BCCI demand of £50K fee for covering 'Test Match Special'

British broadcasting network, BBC are still locked in talks with BCCI officials (Board of Control for Cricket in India) over the cost of sending their iconic 'Test Match Special' (TMS) team to cover England's tour of India.

It comes after the BCCI officials demanded that the BBC pays them an extra 50,000 pounds to cover radio production costs at the four Tests in Ahmedabad, Mumbai, Nagpur and Kolkata, while Sky News have been asked for an additional 500,000 pounds to install television studios at each ground.

"We are continuing talks with the relevant authorities in India about what we regard as unreasonable demands for facility fees," the Daily Mail quoted a BBC spokesman, as saying.

"We remain hopeful that the talks will be resolved successfully and we can broadcast Test Match Special from India for England's Test series," he added.

According to the paper, if the row is not resolved, Sky intend to use the voices of Sir Ian Botham, David Gower, Mike Atherton and Nasser Hussain, commentating in a west London studio, over pictures fed by Indian host broadcaster Star Sports.

But TMS, which has earned a devoted fan following since it began in 1957, is reluctant to follow suit due to the existence of the Test Match Sofa website, whose commentators are based in south London and provide a similar service, the paper said.