Cricket gets pricey for Sony
Television Viewer Ratings for the ICC World Cup 2011 were 69 per cent
higher than the 2007 edition. In contrast, TVRs for the first 25 matches
of IPL 4 show a 27 per cent drop over IPL 3.
December 3, 2006
Then: With the old guard of the Indian cricket team a few years from retirement and bidding rates for cricket going through the roof, Sony Entertainment Television (SET) has decided not to bid for the International Cricket Council's (ICC) telecast rights for the 2011 and 2015 World Cups and all ICCrelated tournaments during that time. "Cricket is a high risk game and bidding prices have touched the stratosphere this time," says Kunal Dasgupta, CEO of SET India. For competitors Zee, ESPN and Ten Sports, it's one company less in the fray. "Cricket is an intangible property and each company's view on whether the price for rights is expensive or not depends on how much money he can put on the table," says R.C. Venkateish, Managing Director of ESPN. He refused to comment on the reported bids for the rights-Zee at $900 million (Rs 4,050 crore) for all rights and ESPN-Star Sports at $600 million (Rs 2,700 crore) for India rights-saying: "They are still in sealed envelopes, which will be opened in the next couple of days." If these numbers are correct, it will mean a substantial increase to Sony's $250 million (Rs 1,125 crore) bid for the 2003 and 2007 World Cups.
Manish Porwal, Executive Director, India (West) Starcom Worldwide, agrees that cricket prices have hit the ceiling. "The broadcasters need to think not twice but 10 times before making a bid at these prices," he says.
Now: Television Viewer Ratings for the ICC World Cup 2011 were 69 per cent higher than the 2007 edition. In contrast, TVRs for the first 25 matches of IPL 4 show a 27 per cent drop over IPL 3.
Then: With the old guard of the Indian cricket team a few years from retirement and bidding rates for cricket going through the roof, Sony Entertainment Television (SET) has decided not to bid for the International Cricket Council's (ICC) telecast rights for the 2011 and 2015 World Cups and all ICCrelated tournaments during that time. "Cricket is a high risk game and bidding prices have touched the stratosphere this time," says Kunal Dasgupta, CEO of SET India. For competitors Zee, ESPN and Ten Sports, it's one company less in the fray. "Cricket is an intangible property and each company's view on whether the price for rights is expensive or not depends on how much money he can put on the table," says R.C. Venkateish, Managing Director of ESPN. He refused to comment on the reported bids for the rights-Zee at $900 million (Rs 4,050 crore) for all rights and ESPN-Star Sports at $600 million (Rs 2,700 crore) for India rights-saying: "They are still in sealed envelopes, which will be opened in the next couple of days." If these numbers are correct, it will mean a substantial increase to Sony's $250 million (Rs 1,125 crore) bid for the 2003 and 2007 World Cups.
Manish Porwal, Executive Director, India (West) Starcom Worldwide, agrees that cricket prices have hit the ceiling. "The broadcasters need to think not twice but 10 times before making a bid at these prices," he says.
Now: Television Viewer Ratings for the ICC World Cup 2011 were 69 per cent higher than the 2007 edition. In contrast, TVRs for the first 25 matches of IPL 4 show a 27 per cent drop over IPL 3.
