PCB to consult former ICC official in media rights sale

The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has taken the services of former ICC official Campbell Jamieson to assist in the sale of international television rights.

This move comes after the PCB faced challenges with an initial unrealistic reserve price for the rights, leading to the rejection of all bids.

The PCB had set a reserve price of approximately $21 million for the 3-year international media rights. However, no bids came close to this amount, prompting a new tendering process focused on specific series. During this process, a consortium from both the Pakistani media group and a private company successfully acquired the rights for $99,000 (around 27.6 million rupees) for the home series against New Zealand and the women's series against the West Indies.

Despite this success, objections were raised by a foreign company during the bidding process, highlighting the need for a more transparent and efficient approach. As the PCB gears up to sell the international media rights for the 2024-2026 period, which includes 61 matches (11 Tests, 26 ODIs, and 24 T20Is), Campbell Jamieson's expertise will be leveraged to secure a better deal and ensure a transparent process.

He has been assigned the responsibility of negotiating a more favorable agreement using an open and clear procedure. He has previously advised Pakistan on rights sales as well. Some individuals have questioned why the PCB is seeking external help when it has numerous officials in place.

Reports indicate that Mohsin Naqvi, the Chairman of the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB), is dedicated to enhancing transparency across all PCB activities. He aims for the rights to be sold at a significant value and to prevent issues like past objections raised by a company. This explains the engagement of Campbell Jamieson's services.