PCB's commercial rights sale facing delay

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The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) relies significantly on the sale of commercial rights as a major revenue stream. With the next edition of the Pakistan Super League (PSL) just three months away and the player draft scheduled for December 15th, there is a notable delay in commencing the sale of broadcasting and production rights by the PCB.

According to sources, following commercial bids will be called in near future by PCB:

-PSL Broadcasting for two years, PSL live streaming for two years

-Bilateral series for two years

- Bilateral series live streaming for two years

-Bilateral plus PSL Broadcasting market only

- Bilateral plus PSL live streaming international market

- Production services for PSL plus bilateral for two years.

However, franchise owners are expressing concerns about the delay, citing a lack of consultation on this crucial matter. An initial estimate suggests that the sale of rights could potentially generate at least 8 billion rupees in revenue for the PCB.

Typically, a thorough market research process is conducted in collaboration with consultants before the rights sale. Surprisingly, this critical step has not yet begun. In response to queries about the delay, PCB officials attribute it to the busy foreign engagements of senior officials. Chairman of the Management Committee, Zaka Ashraf was in India recently to watch a World Cup match, and currently, CEO Salman Naseer is in Dubai attending an MMA fight at the invitation of a friend. It is anticipated that both officials will resume their duties on Monday, and essential matters, including the rights sale, will be addressed.

The next steps involve the formation of the Bid Committee, finalizing the Invitation to Tender (ITT) documents, and subsequently issuing the tender.