DUBAI: The International Cricket Council released its next Invitation To Tender (ITT) for media rights for the USA, Australia, Caribbean and Canada markets on Thursday.
Following the successful conclusion of the Indian market media rights tender, the ICC is starting the next phase of its media sales process across targeted markets, including the USA.
The ICC sealed a deal for the Indian market last month with Disney Star covering both television and digital rights to men’s and women’s global tournaments between 2024 and 2027. While financial terms were not disclosed, most media reports quoted the winning bid to be in the region of just over $3 billion. The figure made available to SportzPower by industry sources however, was $2.8 billion.
Days after winning the ICC rights bid, Disney Star declared it would be sub-licensing the linear TV rights piece for men’s events to Zee Entertainment Enterprises.
Coming back to ICC’s new ITT, the packages will replicate the recently concluded India ITT in terms of men’s and women’s rights being sold separately, and prospective partners can bid for the events taking place from 2024, including 16 Men’s events (over 8 years) and six Women’s events (over 4 years). However, unlike in India, these packages will be for combined TV and digital rights, with no standalone TV and digital packages being offered. Interested parties must submit a bid for the first four years of men’s events. However, they also have the option of bidding for an eight-year partnership.
ICC chief executive Geoff Allardice said: “ICC events consistently attract huge audiences, and we saw from the media rights sales process in India that this drives significant interest from broadcasters. We look forward to seeing competitive bidding in the established cricket broadcast markets of the USA, Australia, the Caribbean and Canada, enabling passionate fans to follow the game globally.
“The USA is one of the ICC’s targeted growth markets, and with 30 million cricket fans already enjoying the sport there, a World Cup scheduled to be co-hosted in that country in 2024 and our exciting ambition for inclusion in the 2028 Olympic Games, there couldn’t be a better time for cricket to find a broadcast partner to help grow the game across the region.”
Interested parties need to email iccmediarights2024-2031@icc-cricket.com to access the tender documents. Subsequent ITTs for additional markets will be released in due course.
The media rights tender FAQ can be found here…
