SYDNEY: Australian cricket chiefs said Sunday they had agreed to sell broadcasting rights in India to Disney Star in a seven-year deal reportedly worth hundreds of millions of dollars.
The Walt Disney-owned media group is believed to have forked out more than Aus$300 million (US$208 million) for the rights, with some Australian media giving an even higher figure for the total value of the contract.
The agreement, which comes into force from the 2023-24 season onwards, covers men’s and women’s international matches played in Australia as well as the Big Bash League and Women’s Big Bash League.
“Disney Star is synonymous with the game in India and we look forward to working with them to showcase the outstanding cricket played in Australia every summer,” Cricket Australia (CA) chief executive Nick Hockley said in a statement
CA did not provide financial details of the deal.
“The magnitude of this association is testament to the enduring rivalry and respect that exists between Australian and Indian teams, the excitement and popularity of WBBL and BBL, and the high regard of Australian cricket in India and global markets more broadly.”
Disney Star will have the rights to broadcast Australian cricket “throughout India and other territories across Asia”, the statement said.
Hockley said there had been “significant interest” in the rights, which are currently held by Sony in a contract running to the end of this season.
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