BCCI's IPL rights tender faces criticism over lack of competitive bidders

As the upcoming IPL edition draws near, concerns are mounting that the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) is not fostering sufficient competition for its media rights tender. Uday Shankar, who serves as vice-chairman of JioStar, remarked that a decade ago several major broadcasters vied for sports packages, whereas now JioStar appears to be the only credible contender. He warned that this lack of rivalry could suppress the true market value of the IPL, especially as rights fees have risen sharply without a matching increase in monetisation avenues.

The article references the aggressive expansion of platforms such as YouTube, which bundles sports into broader subscription services, and Netflix, whose co-CEO Ted Sarandos expressed interest in live sport without becoming a full-season broadcaster. These examples illustrate potential alternative bidders that the BCCI has yet to engage. The author argues that the board must adopt a proactive marketing plan to showcase the IPL to a wider array of media, technology and streaming companies worldwide, positioning JioStar as a Plan A while seeking viable Plan B or C options.