Higher base price for BCCI broadcast rights

The Indian team may have been routed 0-4 by Australia in the Test rubber and failed to make the finals of the tri-series Down Under, but that hasn't deterred the Board of Control for Cricket in India from keeping the base price for home international games, in the new broadcast rights to be bid for, at a slightly higher level.

The BCCI's Marketing Committee, which met in Mumbai on Wednesday, has kept the base price at Rs 31.25 crore plus one crore (Rs 32.25 crore) per international game for A category and Rs 33 crore plus one crore (Rs 34 crore) per game for B category.

The base price of games will be declared in the tender, for which advertisements are to be released on March 10.

"Rs 31.25 (plus 1 crore) for A category and Rs 33 plus 1 crore (Rs 34 crore) for B category," said the chairman of the committee, Farooq Abdullah, after the meeting.

He, however, did not elaborate what these categories were or the Rs 1 crore fixed separately.

It expects to reel in far higher amounts than the previously sold price of Rs 31.50 crore.

"Everything was discussed. How the shape of the next tender should be. The contract with Nimbus has ended. The difficulties and deficiencies in the previous tender were looked into and rectified, and care has been taken so that those are not repeated in the new tender. It will be a global tender for six years," said Abdullah.

"The new tender will give a chance for new people to come in. They can bid either for the whole thing (broadcast rights plus others, like Internet rights) or in parts. It will enable people to come in larger numbers. We expect to generate more interest," he added.

According to Abdullah, the tender process will take two weeks and the bids will be opened on April 2 in Chennai.

Explaining the difficulties that existed in the previous contract with Nimbus, which was terminated, Abdullah said it did not fulfill the promises given in the contract signed with the Board.

"First and foremost difficulty was Nimbus not coming up to the expectations. The payments that were supposed to come from with were not coming. Bank guarantees were given.

"The banks now say that since the contract has been terminated, the guarantees are not valid. We have gone to the court for that also. Nimbus did not fulfill the promises they made in the contract. They owe us over Rs 300 crore," claimed Abdullah.

"One of the good things is we are on a strong wicket and Nimbus are not on a strong wicket," he added.