Board to earn $100m from web rights

The Rs 2,000 crore deal, signed by the Board of Control for Cricket on Tuesday, has given the BCCI a near 25-30 per cent increase in its income from the media rights.

By delinking internet rights from the deal, the Board has also kept with itself another source that can fetch big bucks. A Board official said the webcast rights can add up to the earnings by more than $100 million.

The exact number of matches to be played in the next four years is not yet known as the new FTP is not made public, but the BCCI is slated to host 64 matches (Tests, ODIs and T20s included) over the next four years.

The Rs 2,000 crore for which Nimbus has to give bank guarantee for, is arrived by this number. For the record, the Board has sold Rs 31.25 crore per match.

As per the current rate, a Champions League match fetches BCCI about Rs 6 crore, almost similar to that of highly popular Indian Premier League match.

Meanwhile, there were reports of Lalit Modi opposing the deal at the meeting and some committee members being told to oppose Modi’s contention. When contacted, Modi, who is believed to have done the valuation and agreements, said he is happy with the final deal. “We have got the best possible price per match. Besides, we have also got the Rs 2,000 cr guarantee. We have got what we wanted for the Board,” the BCCI vice-president told DNA.

In a letter on October 1, the BCCI asked Nimbus if it was interested in extending the agreement. It was given 15 days time. The broadcaster was ‘opposed’ to some clauses but finally ‘agreed’.