Curb On Net Rights For Cricket Matches

The Karnataka High Court yesterday restrained Prasar Bharati Corporation from permitting any person to exploit the Internet rights for cricket matches played in India and hosted by the Board of Control for Cricket in India without inviting tenders or holding public auction and receiving appropriate money.

The court passed the order on a public interest petition filed by Narendranath Swamy, a social worker from Bangalore. The petition sought to prevent leakage of revenue of Prasar Bharati Corporation which, according to the petitioner, was worth around Rs 650 crore.

The petition also submitted that the cricket board entered into an agreement with Prasar Bharati which allows the corporation the exclusive and full rights and licences to telecast the matches for five years from October 1, 1999. The rights include terrestrial, satellite and Internet and direct telecast.

Prasar Bharati, in turn, invited bids for marketing of air-time for cricket events conducted by BCCI to be played in India between 2000 and 2004.

The rights for marketing cricket matches in India were awarded to Buddha films, the highest bidder,

for Rs 450 crore. The overseas rights were sold to TWI and its Indian partner Stratcon India Ltd for Rs 190 crore. Prasar Bharati retained the Internet rights.

The petitioner submitted that since television rights was sold for Rs 620 crore, the Internet rights must fetch around Rs 650 crore because of the increasing popularity of the medium.