The ICC has informed Indian telecasters that an e-auction for its media rights sale, as requested by specific parties, is conceivable assuming that the offer goes into the second round while the mail is being interpreted differently in the Indian transmission market.
The International Cricket Council has informed Indian telecasters that an e-auction for its media rights sale, as requested by specific parties, is conceivable assuming that the offer goes into the second round.
The data was handed-off through a short mail after Cricbuzz detailed that Viacom 18 had kept in touch with the ICC framing its issues to certain points in the media rights tender.
“To paragraph 6.41, if a Bidder advances to the Envelope B stage of the process, IBC plans to inform those Bidders on the day of Envelope B opening if their bid has been selected or not for recommendation to the IBC Board (as the case may be), or whether further rounds of bids are being requested. In case further rounds of Bids are requested, IBC plans to use an e-auction process. Details of the package(s) and the reserve price(s) will be confirmed to Bidders, and the intention is to run the process the day after the opening of Envelope B. Bidders will be provided with further details of the e-auction process when the full response to clarifications is issued,”
the ICC’s one-para mail, sent to the broadcasters on Friday (July 15) evening, read.
The mail is being interpreted differently in the Indian transmission market. Whether it is consenting to the demands of the telecasters or is a masterstroke to expand the worth of the privileges is being discussed inside by the media houses.
However, their immediate reaction and inference were that of caution and skepticism. The organizations appear to feel that the move will just build the bid sum as they should contend with their bids.
“There is no clarity who all will be called for the second round – the top three, top four, or top two bidders and what is the method to decide on the 2nd round qualifiers,”
said an industry insider.
“After placing a strong bid in the first round, we may have to fight again in the e-auction.”
Another said.
Cricbuzz reached out to the ICC but there was no formal response. However, sources have claimed that there is no change in the ICC position.
“We have always said that we may go to a second round if there are two very similar bids and we need a clear winner,”
an informed source explained to the website.