New Delhi: The Pakistan Cricket Board was forced to sell its broadcasting rights for 25 home matches at nearly half the base price after receiving only one bid.
Reportedly, no broadcaster showed interest in acquiring the media rights amid poor form in international cricket.
The Pakistan Cricket Board had issued the tender a few days back with a reserve price, however, the interested parties were not allowed to bid as a consortium, as has happened in the past. State broadcaster PTV was the sole bidder for the media rights after others were not allowed to bid as a consortium.
PTV won the rights with a low bid of PKR 350 million when the board had set the base price at PKR 600 million. The broadcast rights consist of a total of 25 matches – 14 ODIs, 5 Tests and 6 T20Is. Pakistan will take on Sri Lanka in a three-match T20I series this month, followed by a seven-match triangular ODI series involving England.
Pakistan will then lock horns with Sri Lanka in a two-match Test series next month.
Pakistan’s recent performances reason behind low interest
As per PTI, a source revealed that the reason behind low interest among broadcasters for the telecast rights is Pakistan’s recent poor performances across formats. Pakistan have failed to live up to expectations, which has resulted in a lack of interest from the sponsors and advertisers.
“The problem is that the performance of the national teams have been below par in recent times and sponsors and advertisers for now are aloof,” the source was quoted as saying by PTI.
Pakistan recently suffered a 3-0 defeat in their Test series against England, leading to a crisis as PCB made wholesale changes to the squad midway through the tour. PCB also sacked Pakistan’s Test head coach Sarfaraz Ahmed and bowling coach Umar Gul while sending seven players back home from England.
As per the source, PCB is currently owed money by at least three broadcasters, who previously secured the media rights as consortiums. Though the companies were not barred from taking part in the bidding process, they decided not to enter the race.
“These broadcasters who owe money were not barred from participating in the bidding process, they chose not to take part. A company that has acquired most of Pakistan cricket’s rights in the past also showed no interest,” added the source.
The lack of interest from the sponsors, broadcasters and others highlights Pakistan’s woes in international cricket as they look to recover from the rough patch. Earlier this year, PCB struggled to get the required response when it tendered the broadcasting rights for the 11th edition of the Pakistan Super League (PSL) after adding two new franchises to the league.