Women’s IPL: Viacom 18 pips Disney Star and Sony to bag media rights for Rs 951 crore

PTI

New Delhi, January 16

The BCCI on Monday announced that Viacom 18 have grabbed the media rights for the upcoming Women’s IPL for a whopping Rs 951 crore for five years after pipping other bidders, including Disney Star and Sony, in a closed-bid auction.

The auction for the T20 league was conducted by the cricket board in Mumbai on Monday. The inaugural Women’s IPL is likely to begin in the first week of March. Five teams will compete and all the matches will be held in Mumbai.

The global rights comprise three categories—linear (TV), digital and combined (TV and digital) and Viacom 18 successfully bid for the combined rights.

In the men’s IPL, separate rights are sold across regions.

“Women’s cricket has been on the up since a few years and the recently concluded bilateral series against Australia is a great testament to how popular women’s cricket has become in India,” BCCI president Roger Binny said in a release issued by the board.

“It was only apt to get our own women’s T20 league and give the fans more of women’s cricket.”

According to BCCI secretary Jay Shah, the fee per match will come to Rs 7.09 crore for the next five years.

“The broadcasters play a key role in taking the game to a wider audience and their active interest in the league is a clear indication that the Women’s Indian Premier League is headed in the right direction. The per-match valuation of Rs INR 7.09 crore is something that has never previously been registered for a women’s game,” Shah said.

“I congratulate Viacom18 for securing both the TV and digital rights with a combined bid of INR 951 crore and welcome them on Board. The journey has well and truly started and we will take another major step this month when the five franchises are announced.”

Viacom18 had won the IPL digital rights for Rs 23,758 crore while Disney Star had retained the TV rights for Rs 23,575 crore for a five-year period starting 2023 during a three-day auction held in June, 2022.

IPL governing council chairman Arun Singh Dhumal said: “The faith of all our bidders for this process also testifies that they see value in investing in this property which will only be growing with each passing year.

“Women’s cricket has shown immense growth in the past few years and our own T20 league, it only solidifies our approach towards women’s cricket and the potential it has for growth in India

Some of the country’s biggest stars in the women’s game, such as national team skipper Harmanpreet Kaur and senior opener Smriti Mandhana, lauded the BCCI after the big announcement.

“Huge congratulations to Viacom18 and @BCCI, @JayShah for a historic day in women’s cricket. Today marks a new era where our women cricketers will get the platform they deserve to thrive, excel and develop on the global stage. I’m sure you’ll be mesmerized by the talent we have!” Harmanpreet tweeted.

Mandhana said, “Today’s a day that every Indian women cricketer will remember. The #WIPL is finally taking shape. @BCCI, @JayShah and all those involved deserve huge praise. Women’s cricket will go to the next level with this global stage provided. Come on girls, it’s all yours for the taking!”

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