Battle for telecast rights hots up

By Rizwan Ehsan Ali

ISLAMABAD, JULY 27. ESPN is among the front-runners to win the telecast rights for the Asian Test Championship, sources in the Asian Cricket Council said on Thursday.

The second edition of the Asian Test Championship starts from August 29 with the match between Pakistan and Bangladesh at the newly built Multan Cricket Stadium in Pakistan.

Four companies, ESPN, World Sports, TransWorld International and Zee Television are in the run to win the telecasting rights of the regional championship in which India and Sri Lanka are the two other participants.

Bids were opened in Islamabad on Wednesday evening but officials were tight-lipped on the successful bidder. ESPN is one of the two favourites to win the rights, said a source without elaborating on the other company.

Representatives of the four companies were present on the occasion and secretary ACC Zakir Hussain Syed said, ``we would not be announcing the successful bidder as it would take some time to negotiate with the successful bidder. The name of the successful TV company is expected to be disclosed in a meeting of the Asian Cricket Foundation on July 31 in India. The ACC has failed to get the expected revenue from the highest bidder and it wants to negotiate further with the interested

parties, the source said.

However, there were rumours that some international companies other than the four which participated in the bidding have shown interest in obtaining telecasting rights. ``We have enough time at our disposal and we will finalise the deal after detailed negotiations,'' Zakir said. The bids were opened in the presence of ACC's Finance Committee member Ehsan Maniu and treasurer Mohammad Naeem. Zakir informed that the ACC was interested in a long-term deal with the television companies till 2007 to cover all ACC engagements.

However, Zakir said that the ACC would soon be inviting bids for the long-term deal which includes a quadrangular tournament in March-April next year.

Tauqir likely to visit India

Chairman of the Pakistan Cricket Board, Lt. Gen. Tauqir Zia may attend the ACF meeting in India on July 31. Since a number of important issues are likely to be discussed including appointments of development officers and ACC's development programme, Tauqir Zia may attend the meeting, an official of the PCB confirmed on Thursday.

Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Section  : Sport
Previous : Wisden 100 hails Laxman, ignores Tendulkar
Next     : The sinking Indian ship loses its captain too