OF all the mails that the Indian broadcasters have sent to the International Cricket Council (ICC), Star Sports’ letter may be the most stinging of the missives.
The current ICC broadcaster has outlined a series of objections in the media rights tender, including on the multiple for the four and eight-year bids.
In a strongly worded letter, Star has not exactly used the word boycott, but made it distinctly clear that some of the clauses in the Invitation To Tender (ITT) document are not encouraging enough for them to participate. Star has been the ICC’s media rights holder for 15 years, since 2007.
The main question that the leading broadcaster has asked is about the multiple. The ICC has steadfastly rejected the broadcasters’ demand to see how it would arrive at the value of four and eight years and what is the formula to be used. Star has said that it can comprehend ICC’s reluctance to share the exact formula but it insisted that Dubai should indicate what would be the floor multiple.
Industry insiders say that before writing the letter Star had consulted its Disney bosses at its headquarters in California. Besides, it had also engaged with a few lawyers before dashing the mail.
Another point that Star has highlighted is why the ICC is talking of a second round when it asks the participants to put the best possible bid in the first round, which is closed bidding. The highest bid should win the auction, it has contended.
Secondly, it wanted to know what qualifies for the second round. The ICC has said that if two or more bids are close, it will go for the second round, which is an e-auction. Star has demanded to know what should be the difference between bids that will determine the ‘close gap’ that will result in a second round.
Finally, like everyone, Star has also asked why should the bids be submitted on August 22 if they are to be opened four days later, on August 26. What will the ICC do with those envelopes, it has sought to know.
As is being reported by this website, all four Indian broadcasters – Sony, Viacom and Zee besides Star – have made it clear to the ICC that they are not happy with the conditions. But the ICC seems determined that there will not be any changes to the ITT clauses. The heat is on, on all parties. (Cricbuzz)
