Disney-Star to Sony-Zee: Why broadcasters are competing for IPL rights

The upcoming bids for broadcasting and digital rights promise to be more intriguing because of the structure of the auction and new cash-rich entrants

On June 12, the country’s largest broadcaster Disney Star faces a tough defence of its crown jewel — the broadcasting and digital rights for India’s most coveted sports property, the Indian Premier League (IPL), which it has held for five years.

For Disney Star it’s a tough call — the base auction price at Rs 32,890 crore is double the 2017 payout. Some predict that the price tag will hit Rs 50,000 crore for 74 matches each season. Spends at that level are closer to the total box office revenues generated by multiplexes in the country in a good year; or