The jaw-dropping manner in which the IPL media rights (2023-2027) auction unfurled over the past three days is the clearest indication that the mega event is headed from an essentially domestic rigmarole to an international one, complete with diverse viewership and ownership.
Sure, IPL continues to be a predominantly Indian T20 tournament. But the manner in which media rights to Australia, New Zealand, UK, South Africa, Middle East and USA were gobbled up for mega bucks makes for captivating study.
The sale of media rights for the next cycle (2023-27) fetched almost 200 per cent more than the previous cycle (2018-22); that is Rs 48,390 crore (6.2 billion USD) against the Rs.16,347 crore garnered from 2018-22. This put its per match value at Rs 118 crores (USD 15.10 million), leaving English Premier league (USD 11.34 million) far behind. Only America’s National Football league at a whopping USD 35 million is ahead of IPL in terms of per match value.
Of course the BCCI and many others are thrilled at the way digital rights sale panned out, with Viacom 18 grabbing the Indian subcontinent digital rights, the non-exclusive package of high-profile games and TV and digital rights across Australia, South Africa, New Zealand and United Kingdom for a total of Rs 23,758 crore, which was slightly higher than the INR 23,575 crore Disney Star paid for India television rights. Media rights for Middle East (Rs 205 crore) and USA (Rs 258 crore) was gobbled up by Times Internet.
Pointedly the number of matches is set to go up from 60 matches per year in the previous cycle to 410 matches overall (74 matches in 2023, ’24; 84 in 2025, ’26 and 94 in 2027).
The most interesting aspect of the whole deal is the manner in which digital has evolved. With Jio (Viacom 18) improving connectivity across the country by leaps and bounds it is only a matter of time before 5G, the bedrock on which digital will be based, is widely available. It is here that the game gets interesting — if the manner in which the world’s most expensive stadium, the 5.5 billion USD SoFi Stadium in Hollywood Park, California is fashioned, is any indication.
The SoFi Stadium, being readied for Fifa World Cup in 2026 and the opening and closing ceremonies of Los Angeles Olympics 2028, will be a veritable tech fortress. Thanks to 5G compatibility, Augmented and Virtual Reality, Drone Technology, Artificial Intelligence, Robots, Sensor Technology, 4 D cameras, Holographic Technology will take sports viewing to stunning Sci-Fi heights. And it is not just SoFi stadium that is gearing up for digital technological upgrade. Tottenham Stadium in London is being fitted with 1200 kilometres of cable, that is an astonishing 20 metres of cable per seat! All this to woo the new generation of sport watchers who think, eat, sleep tech.
Similar digital revolution in India will allow each smartphone or smart television viewer to summon preferred camera views, replays, analysis, reviews, commentary, interact with other fans or discuss in closed groups in real time. Predictive analysis will not be confined to only ball tracking but also map individual viewer’s preference of beverage, eateries, shopping, interests, etc. Indeed, a lot of digital will be in the realm of Sci-Fi and this is where the next generation of viewers is headed.
Tellingly, Viacom 18 or Jio has taken a giant leap in the race to cement a place in a futuristic tech world which today’s young IPL fans will gleefully embrace.
It is this ability of IPL to constantly upgrade and ramp up to the demands of the time which will ensure that BCCI opens it up to foreign ownership to make it truly global. Of course American giant sports empires like the world’s most valuable one, the 13-billion USD Liberty Media (Formula One, Major League Baseball team Atlanta Braves, Movie, TV Production, Satellite Radio, etc), Kroenke Sport & Entertainment (USD 8.73 billion with interests in English football club Arsenal, Los Angeles Rams, etc), Fenway Sports Group (Liverpool, Boston Red Sox, Fenway Sports Management, etc), Glazer Family (Manchester United, NFL Tampa Bay Buccaneers, etc) have ownership across sports and geographies and will certainly like to take a chunk of the IPL.
Thusly, digital, which accounted for a mere 7 per cent of media rights in 2008 and 25 per cent in 2017 has now matched, if not overtaken, TV rights. The future is digital and the IPL auction is a reflection of that. It is commendable that BCCI has not rested on its laurels but is always thinking of ways and means to stay ahead of race. Thanks to their foresight, watching cricket might never be the same!
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