As the entire world is under lockdown due to Covid-19 outbreak, the Sri Lanka Cricket Board (SLC) was this week once again forced to extend the deadline to pay the non-refundable deposit to own broadcasting rights – TV/Radio and Digital, Cricket Age reliably learns.
The date was fixed for April 30 to make the deposit and sign the non-disclosure agreement for those potential buyers to own broadcasting rights for the next three-year cycle starting April 1, 2020, but with no sign of end to the virus sweeping across the globe, the board decided to buy more time.
A number of companies including Sony–SLC’s broadcast partner for the last seven years and Discovery had submitted expression of interest. However the continues lockdown meant no further development in the matter.
“The main issue is that the representatives of those interested bidders needs to submit the proposals in person. We are not accepting the proposals through email. That’s the process, they have to follow” a top SLC administrator told Cricket Age.
As almost all the interested parties are from India, it has completely frozen the process, as world’s greatest democratic nation is under complete lockdown since March 25.
“In this scenario, no one can travel and do this sort of things. So, we have left with no other choice but to extend the deadline once again.
India is expected to lift the lockdown on May 3, however there are high chances that it will be extended again, at least till May 16.
“We have tentively decided that by May 15, we will inform the dates to submit bids. However, it again depends on how much the situation improves in next few days” the top administrator added further.
Unlike in previous years, this time SLC has floated three separate tenders for TV and Radio broadcast rights, TV production rights and digital broadcast rights spanning the next three years.
The bifurcation of rights – TV/Radio and Digital Rights – resulted in SLC receiving below par offers with the highest bid for TV/Radio rights of US$ 16 million and digital rights fetching only US$ 6 million. This forced SLC to go to the market once again combining TV/Radio and Digital rights.
