MUMBAI: After much hype and no show during the Indian Premier League media rights auction race, reports are again circulating around a potential cricket play by e-commerce giant Amazon.
Cricbuzz, quoting industry insiders, reports that Amazon has set its sights on the upcoming International Cricket Council (ICC) media rights is a “perfect fit for its business strategy of selling the year-long subscription and has got the go-ahead to bid”.
The upcoming ICC rights auction cover the 2024-31 cycle.
As per Cricbuzz, Amazon is even open to a tie-up with a television broadcaster so that they can put in a composite bid (haven’t we heard that before?). The ICC is offering three packages – television, digital and both TV and digital combined.
In its discussions with the ICC, the streaming major has reportedly shown interest not just in the India territory rights, but also UK, US and South Africa.
BCCI settles dispute with Zee
Meanwhile the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has formally settled its 16-year legal battle with Zee Group. At its recent Apex Council meeting in Mumbai, a resolution to end the dispute was passed.
The resolution, seen by Cricbuzz, reads, “RESOLVED THAT BCCI shall enter into a memorandum of settlement with Zee Entertainment Enterprises Limited (“Zee”) with regards to the ongoing dispute arising out of the Agreement dated 12th April 2006 entered between BCCI and Zee and presently pending before the Madras High Court and Bombay High Court.
“Pursuant to the memorandum of settlement, all claims counterclaims and/ or disputes of whatsoever nature between BCCI and Zee arising under the Agreement dated 12 April 2006 shall stand settled.”
