Star TV subsidiary wins IPL media rights for Rs 302 crore

Novi Digital Entertainment Private Limited, a wholly owned subsidiary of Star India Private Limited, has secured certain media rights relating to the Indian Premier League for Rs 302.2 crore over a three-season period, the Board of Control for Cricket in India announced on Tuesday.

After the BCCI’s Marketing Committee meeting in Mumbai, secretary Sanjay Patel said the media rights were bid and won for the 2015, '16 and '17 seasons for a cumulative fee "which is substantially higher than the fee of the previous rights period", adding that the cumulative reserve price was set for Rs 120 crore.

Bids were received from three entities: Times Internet Limited, Multi Screen Media Private Limited and Novi Digital Entertainment Private Limited.

The Marketing Committee, after following the due tender process, awarded these media rights (Internet and mobile all over the world, barring USA) to the subsidiary of Star, according to Patel.

It was learned that the other two bids were for Rs 285 crore (MSM) and Rs 191.8 crore (Times).

The digital rights for the United States will be decided in the next six weeks.

"Our partnership with Novi Digital Entertainment Pvt. Ltd augurs well for the Pepsi IPL, as well as the millions of fans who follow the tournament and we are delighted to commence an association with the organisation whose bid was found to be the most deserving," said Patel.

He also said that for the first time the Board found a sponsor for the ‘Strategic Time Out’, which is taken during each T20 innings of the tournament, for a cumulative amount of Rs 31.5 crore for three seasons.

Upbeat about these developments, Patel said that contrary to what has been written about in the media, the winning bids "reflected the interest of the fans in IPL”.

The 2015 edition of the IPL is scheduled from April 8 to May 24.