2024-10-06 10:15:24 :
The Asian Cricket Council (ACC) has set a floor price of US$170 million for media rights for the Asia Cup, covering a range of events including the men’s and women’s tournaments. The auction will be held on November 1st. According to Cricbuzz, the rights package includes the men’s Asian Cup, women’s Asian Cup and various under-19 and emerging team competitions.
Livemint could not independently verify this development.
The media rights will be auctioned for eight years, from 2024 to 2031. The next men’s Asia Cup will be held in India in 2025 (T20 format).
Bangladesh, Pakistan and Sri Lanka will host future editions of ODI and T20 formats alternately. The rights will be sold via an electronic auction, with technical bids called for on October 30 in Dubai, the report added.
The Men’s Asia Cup remains the most valuable event for broadcasters, with at least two highly-anticipated India-Pakistan matches guaranteed every edition. In 2023, India won both matches against Pakistan to clinch the title. According to reports, a third clash could take place if India and Pakistan meet in the final.
The ACC also confirmed that the Women’s Asian Cup will hold three matches during this period. The report adds that women’s cricket is growing in popularity, especially with the Women’s Under-19 T20 Asia Cup in December 2024, and the Under-19 T20 World Cup in Malaysia in early 2025.
The auction sparked interest, particularly in potential competition between Viacom 18 and Disney Star. Both companies are expected to bid, but there is uncertainty as to whether they will bid separately as the merger is imminent and awaits final regulatory approval.
The e-auction format is widely praised for its fairness and transparency. Broadcasters will now reportedly vie for lucrative media rights to cover one of cricket’s most important continental events.
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