Star Group bags Indian cricket's broadcast rights till 2018

Media baron Rupert Murdoch-led Star Group has bagged the television and digital rights for all domestic and international cricket matches in India for a six-year period from July this year for Rs 3,851 crore, giving the country's cricket board a revenue of around Rs 40 crore per match.

Star, in collaboration with ESPNCricinfo, bagged the broadcast, Internet and mobile rights in India for a period of six years, starting July 2012 till March 2018.

The contract begins with the New Zealand tour of India in August, followed by England's visit. Star, ESPN Software, Multi Screen Media (owners of SET Max and the soon to be launched Sony Six), Times Network and Zee picked up the bid documents. Only Star and Multi Screen Media submitted bids, which were opened on Monday in Chennai. Runners-up Multi Screen Media had quoted Rs 3,700 crore.

"The BCCI is very happy with the deal. Now the media rights have been fully evaluated and fully priced with Star coming out with such a deal," BCCI president N Srinivasan told reporters while making the announcement.

"Following a transparent process of verifying the eligibility of each bidder, the winner was chosen," Srinivasan said.

The BCCI's marketing committee had set the price for category A games at Rs 31.25 crore per match (approx USD 6.1 million) plus Rs 1 crore (approx US $0.2 million), while category B games were set at Rs 34 crore (approx US $6.67 million) plus Rs 1 crore.