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- Alphabet and SuperSport buy bid-related documents from BCCI
- Reliance, Amazon, Sony, Zee Entertainment, Dream11 and Star all linked with deal from 2023
- Star’s five-year, US$2.55bn deal expires after 2022 season
Technology conglomerate Alphabet, the owner of Google and YouTube, is interested in bidding for the broadcast rights to the Indian Premier League (IPL) Twenty20 cricket tournament, according to Bloomberg.
The company has reportedly purchased the bid-related documents from the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), which runs the IPL. Bloomberg added that Africa-based broadcaster SuperSport also bought the documents.
The move sees Alphabet and SuperSport join a growing list of parties eyeing up the broadcast rights for cricket’s biggest franchise tournament. Reliance Industries, Amazon, Sony Pictures Networks India, Zee Entertainment and Dream11 have all been linked with a deal and Bloomberg says each of those companies have also purchased the bid documents.
Rights for the IPL are currently held by Disney-owned Star India, whose five-year, US$2.55 billion contract expires after the 2022 season. Indian newspaper Mint reported earlier this year that the next five-year cycle could net the BCCI more than US$5.3 billion.
Last season’s IPL brought in 380 million domestic viewers, according to Mint. For the ongoing campaign, the league is set to rake in more than ₹1,000 crore (US$129 million) in sponsorship revenue, a record for the competition.
It was initially expected that the winner of the IPL’s broadcast rights would be announced at the end of March or early April, before more interested parties entered the fray.
