Except for Africa region, PCB unable to sell international broadcasting rights

The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) failed to sell the international broadcasting rights for the ongoing Zimbabwe series to any region except for Africa outside Pakistan.

For the first time in 15 years, Pakistan’s international home series was not broadcasted live on Television in United Kingdom (UK), United States of America (USA), South Asia and Middle East. Fans in that region were only able to watch the Friday ODI between Pakistan and Zimbabwe on PCB's YouTube channel.

On Thursday, PCB signed a three-year agreement with SuperSport that has made South Africa’s leading multi-channel sport network as its broadcast partner in the Africa region for all home international cricket and HBL Pakistan Super League until 2023. However, the board was not able to strike a deal for other regions.

It must be noted that Australian firm, Colgan Bauer, is providing consultancy services in relation to media rights for various PCB projects for a period of three years i.e. 2020 to 2023. The projects will include media rights for the international cricket series (bilateral or otherwise), as well as the HBL Pakistan Super League to be sold in upcoming bidding cycles.

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In a tender issued by PCB in September for the international broadcasting rights for 2020-2023 cycle, Zimbabwe series was included in the bid documents. However, the tender was cancelled on Thursday night as the board was not able to secure a suitable price for it. Now a new tender will be issued and Zimbabwe series will not be a part of it.

At being contacted by Express News correspondent regarding the aforementioned development, the PCB Director Media, Samiul Hassan Burney said: “PCB will announce the broadcast license partners for other regions at a suitable time.”

It must be noted that PCB signed a $200million three-year agreement with PTV Sports and I-Media Communication Services to broadcast Pakistan’s domestic matches.