JioStar to continue as ICC's media rights partner till 2027 in India

JioStar and the International Cricket Council (ICC) have stated that JioStar has not withdrawn from its current contract as the ICC’s media rights partner (2024-2027) in India and will continue to broadcast the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup in February, according to their joint statement.

 

“ICC and JioStar have noted recent media reports concerning the status of the ICC’s media rights agreement in India. These reports do not reflect the position of either organisation. The existing agreement between the ICC and JioStar remains fully in force, and JioStar continues as the ICC’s official media rights partner in India. Any suggestion that JioStar has withdrawn from the agreement is incorrect,” the joint statement stated.

 

This comes after media reports claimed that the ICC had reached out to other players like Sony Pictures Network India, Prime Video and Netflix in India for the broadcasting rights of its matches from the 2026 cycle. At the same time, industry experts noted that JioStar is under financial burden and is looking to cut its losses from all aspects. This follows JioStar doubling its provisions for expected losses from onerous sports contracts in the 2024-2025 period to Rs 25,760 crore, according to a media report.

 

“JioStar is fully committed to honour its contractual obligations in letter and spirit. Both organisations remain focused on delivering uninterrupted, world-class coverage of upcoming ICC events to fans across India, including the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup, one of the sport’s most anticipated global tournaments. Preparations for these events are progressing exactly as planned, and there is no impact on viewers, advertisers, or industry partners. ICC and JioStar, as long-term commercial partners, maintain regular communication on operational, commercial and strategic matters focused on the role the partnership can play in growing the sport,” said the joint statement.

 

While JioStar is obliged to continue its current contract with the ICC till 2027, industry experts had earlier told Business Standard that India’s largest media conglomerate will look to negotiate the deal value or test if the ICC reduces the media rights value for other players in the industry.

 

“ICC and JioStar, as long-term commercial partners, maintain regular communication on operational, commercial and strategic matters focused on the role the partnership can play in growing the sport,” the joint statement added.