The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has opened the tender process for the next cycle of IPL television and digital rights beginning in 2018, and will accept bids until October 25. The BCCI president, Anurag Thakur, is likely to make an announcement inviting fresh tenders for the next few years. Current rights holders Sony Pictures Network as well as Star India, who hold the rights for Indian cricket, and for the International Cricket Council (ICC) events until 2023, are the main contenders. "We are happy to announce the tender process for IPL Global Media Rights (TV and Digital)," BCCI President Anurag Thakur announced ina press conference. The move comes at the back of Lodha Committee's recommendation, which has to be adhered to as per the Supreme Court directive, for transparency in the system.

 

The designated rights period will be for a period of 10 years for television and five years for digital platform. The Rest Of The World (ROW) will also have five years period. Sony Network had the first right to make an offer to the Board but the BCCI has decided to go for an open tender. According to industry estimates and media reports, for the 2016 IPL edition, ad slots were sold to 12 sponsors at a 15-20 % premium over 2015. Sony had ad sales of around Rs 800 crore in 2015, according to industry estimates. To tap into fresh viewership and revenue streams, the telecast has been expanded with commentary in regional languages, Tamil, Bengali, Telugu and Hindi.