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Sony India Catches ACC Cricket Rights in Eight Year Deal
Patrick Frater Asia Bureau Chief Sony Pictures Networks India (SPNI) has agreed a cricket rights broadcast deal stretching eight years with the Asian Cricket Council. The deal encompasses all editions of the Men’s and Women’s Asia Cups, Men’s and Women’s Under-19 Asia Cups, and the Men’s and Women’s Emerging Teams Asia Cups. The agreement was sealed after a bidding process and the winning bid represents a 70% increase in the rights value, the ACC said without sharing the bid price. Quoting anonymous sources, multiple Indian media sources reported the value of the contract at $170 million. The substantial increase in rights value “will enable the ACC to channel significant resources into grassroots programs, infrastructure development, and talent pathways, especially for associate nations,” the organization said. “Congratulations to the ACC for conducting a fair and transparent bidding process for the rights to the ACC tournaments! We are delighted to bring these action-packed tournaments, which will also include India and Pakistan matches, to our viewers for the next 8 years,” said SPNI’s MD & CEO, Gaurav Banerjee. Sony had been looking to expand its TV and streaming businesses in India through a merger deal with Zee Entertainment Enterprises.