Disney Star, Viacom, Zee among potential bidders for WIPL media rights

All the major Indian broadcasters, including Disney Star*, Viacom, Sony and Zee, will be bidding for the Women’s Indian Premier League (WIPL) media rights at the auction on Monday. The BCCI has adopted a closed bid auction method for the day-long event, and will announce the winner on the same day.

ESPNcricinfo has learned that eight potential bidders had bought the tender document which was put on sale in December. The rights, spanning a five-year period between 2023-27, comprised three categories: linear (TV), digital and combined (TV and digital). The rights will be sold globally, including India.

The WIPL media rights are significant because it constitutes the majority of the central commercial pool from which franchises will get 80% of their revenues. In the tender document for franchise rights, the BCCI has mentioned that it would share 80% of the commercial rights income it derives from WIPL with the five teams in the initial five years, 60% in the following five years, and 50% after that. In addition, the franchises will also get 80% of the money derived from the central licensing rights.

Having conducted the Women’s T20 Challenge initially as an exhibition event, the BCCI last year finally decided to launch the WIPL with the inaugural season set to be played in March. While the BCCI has not yet announced the tournament dates, it is understood that the first season, spanning 22 matches, is likely to be played between March 5 and 23.

The BCCI has also set January 25 as the date to open the financial bids for the WIPL venues and their owners, with a plan to announce the winners on the same day. The BCCI has listed 10 cities in the bid document. So far, at least eight of the 10 men’s IPL franchises have confirmed they would be bidding for a franchise.

*ESPNcricinfo and Disney Star are part of the Walt Disney Company

Nagraj Gollapudi is news editor at ESPNcricinfo