Nimbus, BCCI to discuss commercial value of AIR deal

NEW DELHI/MUMBAI: The intervention of the Information and Broadcasting Minister Ambika Soni has helped All India Radio (AIR) get Nimbus to part with the radio broadcast rights of the three Tests of the India-West Indies series.

The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has granted the radio rights to the state-owned radio broadcaster after discussing with the rights holder, Nimbus Sport.

The commercial value of the rights is yet to be fixed, sources said.

AIR had failed to broadcast the commentary of the India-England cricket series as negotiations with Nimbus Sport over revenue sharing were inconclusive. 

"Nimbus and BCCI will be meeting next week to decide on the commercial value of the deal. AIR will broadcast the commentary of the three Tests of the West Indies tour of India following an assurance by the BCCI," a source familiar with the development said.

The Tests start on 6 November, 14 November and 22 November at Delhi, Kolkata and Mumbai respectively.

Sources said no agreement has yet been worked out for the five one-dayers being held in November and December at Cuttack, Visakhapatnam, Ahmedabad, Indore and Chennai.

When contacted, Neo Sport chief operating officer Yannick Colaco declined to comment on the issue.

For the India-England series, AIR was willing to pay $6000 per match for the broadcast rights, but Neo Sport wanted a 50:50 share in revenues.

The I&B Ministry had last month written to BCCI to allow radio broadcasting rights because a large number of people still depended on radio for their entertainment and information.

Sources said senior BCCI officials had taken up the issue with Nimbus Sport.

Doordarshan will telecast the one-dayers under the the Sports Broadcasting Signals (Mandatory Sharing with Prasar Bharati) Act, 2007.