Bombay HC: BCCI allowed to look for new broadcasting partner

The Bombay High Court ruled in the favour of the Indian Premier League (IPL) on its broadcasting rights, allowing it to seek a new partner after it had terminated its contract with Sony. Thus the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) can now seek a new broadcast deal after Justice S J Kathawala of Bombay High Court rejected a plea from Sony TV, which had challenged the Indian cricket boards decision to terminate its five-year deal to televise the IPL. The BCCI has, meanwhile, signed a fresh broadcast rights deal worth a reported 1.2 billion dollar with World Sports Group (WSG), which in turn has been engaged in discussions with various broadcasters for a new IPL deal. It has been reported that Sony is among those who are now trying to negotiate a new deal with WSG and sources have indicated that ESPN-Star Sports (ESS) and NDTV, the New Delhi-based media organisation, are also in discussions to telecast the IPL. It is unclear, though, if Multi Screen Media Pvt Ltd, which held the IPL contract under the Sony umbrella, will approach the Supreme Court to appeal against todays decision. Sony had sub-licensed the IPLs subcontinent broadcast rights last year from WSG, who had won an original ten-year bid for 1.02 billion dollar, but moved the court after receiving a notice of termination from the BCCI, which runs the IPL. The Indian board claimed that Sony had repeatedly violated the integrity of telecast by prematurely cutting to breaks and inserting commercials during a live match, replays and other on-field action. The IPLs relationship with Sony had turned rocky last month after the IPL lost out on a 31.16 million dollar deal because of a dispute between Sony and Big TV, a direct-to-home provider. Ties between the two dipped further after the subsequent resignation of Kunal Dasgupta, the then Sony CEO, who was known to be close to Lalit Modi, the IPL chairman. Sony is also understood to have been keen on renegotiating the financial terms of its contract with the IPL and had concerns about the tournaments revised dates and some of the venues that were being considered.

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