Will make IPL available to every Indian, says Viacom18 after bid win

After acquiring the media rights to digitally stream Indian Premier League matches in the Indian sub-continent from 2023 to 2027, Viacom18 has said that it will take the cash-rich league to every nook and corner of the country and make it available to every Indian.

In a first of its kind e-auction conducted by the BCCI, Viacom18 won the digital media rights of the IPL's 2023-27 cycle for the Indian subcontinent. It has also won the India digital rights for a special package of 18 games in every season.

Globally, Viacom18 has won television as well as digital rights in three (Australia, South Africa, UK) out of five international territories, including major cricketing nations.

"With its wide reach, strategic tie-ups and increasingly popular content bouquet, the digital platforms of Viacom18 are gearing up for leadership in India as well as with the Indian diaspora globally," Viacom18 said in a statement on Wednesday.

"With these IPL rights, Viacom18 will be able to take India's biggest sporting event to every nook and corner of the country. It will make IPL available to every Indian in every part of India, including the 60 million FreeDish homes which today are not able to access this popular content," it added.

The company also mentioned that it is building the digital platforms of the future while continuing to strengthen traditional television broadcasting.

"Sports entertain us, inspire us and bring us together. Cricket and IPL personify the best of sport and the best of India, which is why we are proud to be deepening our association with this great game and this wonderful league. Just like with everything we do, our mission is to take the joyful experience of IPL to cricket fans wherever they are - in every part of our country and around the world," said Nita Ambani, Director, Reliance Industries Ltd.

According to the company, IPL rights make Viacom18 and its platforms one of the largest sporting destinations in the country after bagging a slew of sporting rights in soccer (FIFA World Cup, La Liga, Serie A and Ligue1), badminton, tennis, and basketball (NBA).