Sony, WSG bag IPL broadcast rights for Rs 8,200 cr

Multi Screen Media (formerly Sony Entertainment Television) and World Sports Group have been signed as the official broadcast partners for the DLF Indian Premier League (IPL) in a fresh nine-year deal running through to 2017 for a whopping Rs 8,200 crore.

The new agreement, which is more than double the earlier deal signed last year for 10 years with the same two parties, gives Multi Screen Media the exclusive audio visual rights (in India) to all the 59 matches of the second edition of the cash-rich IPL due to start on April 18 in South Africa, a media release said today.

Talking about the deal, IPL Chairman and Commissioner Lalit Modi expressed his confidence that Multi Screen Media would pull out all the stops in ensuring that the best technology is utilized to deliver "excellent content that is creative, innovative and enriching for the cricket fans in India and indeed across the globe".

"We are absolutely delighted with the new deal inked today with WSG and Multi Screen Media, we have what we believe to be the best deal for the DLF Indian Premier League and Indian cricket fans alike," Modi added.