MUMBAI: The Indian cricket board has approved Star India?s purchase of the media rights for international cricket played in India for a period of six years till 2018.

Star India had last month sprung a major surprise by bagging the BCCI media rights for Rs 38.51 billion, beating Multi Screen Media which had bid Rs 37 billion. Interestingly, ESPN Star Sports, the equal joint venture between Star and ESPN, did not bid.

"The BCCI working committee ratified the grant of media rights to Star India Pvt. Ltd. for the next six years - 2012 to 2018," BCCI secretary Sanjay Jagdale said in a media statement.

The WC has also recommended inclusion of a Pakistani team in Champions League Twenty20 tournament, a move aimed at attracting eyeballs. ESPN Star Sports holds the rights for a period of ten years till 2017, paying a whopping $975 million.

The Champions League T20 Governing Council will look into the recommendations of the working committee.

The move comes three years after the 26/11 terror attacks, which led to a break-up of bi-lateral cricketing ties between the two countries.

A Pakistani team, Sialkot Stallions, was expected to participate in the inaugural edition of CL T20. However, the terror attacks led to the exclusion of Pakistan from the tournament.

"The Working Committee has decided to invite a team from Pakistan to play in Champions League Twenty20 to be held in October," BCCI president N Srinivasan told reporters after the Board?s working committee meeting.

Srinivasan said the recommendation will be forwarded to CLT20 Governing Council for the approval of Cricket Australia, and Cricket South Africa, who are also founding members of the tournament.

"We will recommend to the GC that the BCCI has no objection and is prepared to invite a Pakistan team in the Champions League," he added.

Modeled on the lines of Football?s Champions League, CL T20 draws teams from India, Australia, South Africa, Sri Lanka, West Indies, and New Zealand. Teams that win their respective national T20 competition qualify for the tournament.

The inaugural edition of the competition featured 12 sides from seven nations and was held in India. In 2010, CLT20 moved to South Africa where 10 sides from six nations locked horns at four venues.

Last year, the tournament returned to India with a pre-tournament qualifier with six teams facing off in a qualifier in Hyderabad. The three top teams from qualifiers joined seven already confirmed teams making it a 10-team tournament.

MUMBAI: ESPN and the US collegiate athletic league Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) have extended their exclusive agreement through 2026-27 which will now feature several new elements designed to bring added value to ESPN and ACC fans, including more title sponsorship rights, men?s regular-season and conference tournament basketball games, conference football games, and dozens more Olympic sports competitions.

The deal will provide premier content to numerous ESPN multimedia platforms, including ESPN, ESPN on ABC, ESPN2, WatchESPN.com, ESPNU, ESPN3, ESPN 3D, ESPN Mobile TV, ESPN GamePlan, ESPN FULL COURT, ESPN Buzzer Beater/Goal Line, ESPN International, ESPN Deportes, ESPN Classic and ESPN.com.

The conference?s planned increase to an 18-game conference men?s basketball schedule and the additions of Pittsburgh and Syracuse will bring an increase of 30 conference men?s basketball games per year and two more conference tournament games.

In football, 14 more conference-controlled games will be televised each year. Per the extension, ESPN has the right to televise three Friday ACC football contests annually which will include a standing commitment from Boston College and Syracuse to each host one game as well as an afternoon or evening game on Thanksgiving Friday.

Also, more women?s basketball and dozens more Olympic sports competitions will be covered on ESPN platforms representing the conference?s 25, soon to be 26, sponsored sports.

For the first time, ESPN has acquired title sponsorship rights, subject to conference approval, beyond football to all other conference championships including the men?s and women?s basketball tournaments. The ACC Men?s Basketball Tournament, televised in its entirety on ESPN networks and its syndication partner Raycom has never been sponsored in its 59-year history.

Disney Media Networks co-chair and ESPN president John Skipper said, ?This expansion and extension of our exclusive agreement brings tremendous value to our company and to ACC fans everywhere. We look forward to showcasing this premier conference across all platforms through 2027.?

?We are excited to have further enhanced our partnership with ESPN through the extension of our multimedia contract. We are proud that ESPN has invested so deeply in the ACC both from a resource and exposure standpoint. As we look to the future, this relationship will be tremendous for our schools, fans, coaches and student-athletes,? said ACC Commissioner John Swofford.

ESPN has been televising ACC content since 1979 and has exclusive rights to every conference-controlled football and men?s basketball game, plus women?s basketball and Olympic sports matchups, and all ACC championship events. ACC content is distributed on the widest array of multi-media platforms in the sports industry.

MUMBAI: The Walt Disney Company has posted quarterly net income of $1.14 billion for the second quarter ended 31 March, a 21 per cent increase from a profit of $942 million in the year-ago period.

The disastrous performance of ?John Carter? notwithstanding, the company?s revenue for the quarter rose to $9.6 billion, a six per cent increase compared with the same quarter last year, on the back of The Avengers, which shattered domestic box office records with a $207.1 million opening weekend for a global performance of more than $702 million to date.

"With 18 per cent adjusted growth in earnings per share, we?re pleased with our second quarter performance. We?re incredibly optimistic about our future, given the strength of our core brands, Disney, Pixar, Marvel, ESPN, and ABC, and our extraordinary ability to grow franchises across our businesses, such as The Avengers, which shattered domestic box office records with a $207.1 million opening weekend for a global performance of more than $702 million to date,? said Disney Chairman and CEO Robert A. I

Media Networks

The media networks revenues for the quarter increased nine per cent to $4.7 billion and segment operating income increased 13 per cent to $1.7 billion.

Cable Networks

Operating income at cable networks increased $143 million to $1.5 billion for the quarter due to growth at ESPN and, to a lesser extent, at the domestic Disney Channels.

The increase at ESPN was driven by higher affiliate and advertising revenue, partially offset by higher programming and production costs. The increase in affiliate revenue was due to contractual rate increases and a reduction in revenue deferrals related to annual program commitments. During the quarter, ESPN deferred $190 million of revenue compared to $262 million in the prior year quarter.

The decrease was due to a change in the provisions related to annual programming commitments in an affiliate contract. Advertising revenue growth was due to higher rates and a shift in the timing of Rose Bowl, Fiesta Bowl and NBA games relative to the fiscal period end. Higher programming and production costs were driven by the shift in the timing of college bowl and NBA games and higher contractual rates for college basketball programming.

Higher operating income at the domestic Disney Channels was primarily due to increased affiliate revenue from contractual rate increases and higher sales of Disney Channel programs.

Operating income at broadcasting business increased $62 million to $229 million due to lower programming and production costs and higher advertising revenue. Lower programming and production costs were due to the absence of costs for The Oprah Winfrey.

Higher advertising revenues were due to increased primetime rates at the ABC Television Network, partially offset by a decrease at the owned television stations.

Parks and Resorts

Parks and Resorts revenues for the quarter increased 10 per cent to $2.9 billion and segment operating income increased 53 per cent to $222 million. Results for the quarter were driven by increases at domestic parks and resorts, Tokyo Disney Resort and Hong Kong Disneyland Resort, partially offset by a decrease at Disneyland Paris.

Higher operating income at domestic parks and resorts was driven by increased guest spending and attendance, partially offset by increased costs. Increased guest spending reflected higher average ticket prices, daily hotel room rates and food, beverage and merchandise spending. Higher costs were driven by labour cost inflation, resort expansion and new guest offerings, volume-related cost increases, and increased investments in systems infrastructure.

The increase at Tokyo Disney Resort reflected the loss of income in the prior-year quarter from the March 2011 earthquake and tsunami in Japan, which resulted in a temporary suspension of operations, and the collection of related business interruption insurance proceeds in the current-year quarter. The increase at Hong Kong Disneyland Resort was due to higher guest spending and attendance. The decrease at Disneyland Paris was due to lower attendance and labour cost inflation.

Studio Entertainment

Studio Entertainment revenues decreased 12 per cent to $1.2 billion and segment operating income decreased $161 million to a loss of $84 million.

The decline in operating income was primarily due to lower worldwide theatrical results reflecting the performance of John Carter in the current quarter along with the related film cost write-down. Other titles in the current quarter include The Muppets and Beauty and the Beast 3D while the prior year included Tangled, Tron: Legacy and Mars Needs Moms.

Consumer Products

Consumer Products revenues increased 8 per cent to $679 million and segment operating income increased 4 per cent to $148 million. Higher operating income was primarily due to an increase at Merchandise Licensing, partially offset by lower results at the retail business.

The increase at Merchandise Licensing was primarily due to higher minimum guarantee shortfall recognition in the current quarter and earned revenue growth driven by the performance of Minnie, Mickey, The Avengers and Princess merchandise.

The decrease at the retail business was due to a decline in our North American business driven by decreased margins due to higher promotions.

Interactive Media

Interactive Media revenues for the quarter increased 13 per cent to $179 million and segment operating results improved by $45 million to a loss of $70 million. Operating results were driven by an increase at the games business, reflecting improved results from social and console games.

Social game results were driven by lower acquisition accounting impacts which had a higher adverse impact on the prior-year quarter and improved title performance in the current quarter.

Improved console game results were primarily due to lower product development costs, partially offset by a decline in console game sales, which reflected fewer titles in release in the current year. Lower product development costs reflected the ongoing shift from console games to social and other interactive platforms.

Other Income

On February 2, 2012 the Company increased its percentage ownership in UTV Software Communications Limited (UTV) from 50 per cent to 93 per cent through a delisting process governed by Indian law. In connection with the acquisition, the company recorded a $184 million non-cash gain to adjust the book value of its existing interest in UTV to the estimated fair value.

MUMBAI: Rupert Murdoch-controlled News Corp and The Walt Disney Company are deciding on how to end their 16-year-old sports broadcasting joint venture in India.

The stumbling block in a final settlement is that both Star and ESPN want to buy out their partner?s stake. Both realise that the JV has outlived its time and can?t serve the individual commercial interests of either Star or ESPN in a market where News Corp and Disney have made massive investments and are at different growth cycles.

Star Group has offered to buy out ESPN?s stake in the equal joint venture so that it gets independent control to expand its sports broadcasting business in India at a time when acquisition costs have climbed to astronomical heights. Star?s ability to take risks and aggressively mop up cricket rights would be higher as it can leverage the sports property with its highly popular entertainment channels in India.

"Star is very keen on buying out ESPN?s 50 per cent stake in India. The JV is under severe strain and the individual business interests of the two companies can no longer be served by it," a source familiar with the development said.

Star TV, for example, scooped up media rights to international cricket played in India from the BCCI for a whopping Rs 38.51 billion from 2012 through to 2018. The JV was not agreeable to bid so high as it has other cricketing properties where it has bet big like the ICC ($1.1 billion for eight years from 2007-15) and the Champions League Twenty20 ($975 million for 10 years) to ensure that it stays as the top sports broadcasting network in India.

"Star was ready to pay so high as it served its business interests. It wanted to deny Sony (which bid Rs 37 billion) the rights as, along with the IPL, it would have become a formidable network. The entertainment channels have already started delivering for Sony. Star could bid that amount because of its overall India strategy," the source said.

The problem is that neither Star nor Disney want to sell out. ESPN has also expressed interest to buy out Star?s stake in India, the source said.

"It could have been easier if it would have been any other multinational media company like Turner International. Disney has also made huge investments in the Indian market. It has bought out UTV Software Communications and has delisted it. It has got an aggressive person in Ronnie Screwvala to head its India operations. While having a presence in kids, niche entertainment channels and movies, it is missing in the Hindi GEC (general entertainment channel) space which is massive in India. It also wants to have full control of sports broadcasting," the source added.

For any partner to sell the India business would mean that it would be locked out of sports for a few years due to a non-compete clause.

"Neither Disney nor Star want to be out of this lucrative business for a few years as there would be a non-compete clause. Besides, there are few cricket rights available and they are all locked long term," the source said.

Cricket is the only sporting property that people watch at a mass level with passion across the country. It has got both advertising and pay revenue pull. In 2011, sports broadcasters raked in advertising revenue of Rs 20 billion, led by the IPL that took home Rs 9 billion.

Digitisation also throws open a wide pay revenue potential, unlocking leakages from the last mile of the cable networks that is controlled by local cable operators who under-report their subscriber base. The government has fixed 30 June as the deadline for cable TV digitisation in the four metros of Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata and Chennai. India needs to make the complete switchover from analogue to digital by 31 December 2014.

The complexity of the issue is obvious as the web of the JV spreads across Asia. The talks for a split started a year back and even discussed about the possibility of News Corp letting go rest of Asia to ESPN. "FIC (Fox International Channels) runs a business worth over $1 billion in rest of Asia and does not want to let go of sports. That is not possible," the source said.

Splitting the properties that the JV holds is also not feasible. "The only way they can terminate the joint venture is by somebody selling out. This will also make the task of valuing the assets easier," the source said.

Star holds an upper hand at this stage as it has got the BCCI rights. It has sub-licensed the rights to ESPN Software India, the joint venture company which runs ESPN Star Sports? India operations. "The weight of the Rs 38.51 billion property is hanging overhead. The JV will be given the task of monetising it so long as the partnership lasts," the source said.

The BCCI property also leaves Star with another option to explore. In the worst case scenario if it decides to sell out to ESPN, it can build a sports broadcasting business with the BCCI rights as the starting pillar, much like Sony did with the Indian Premier League (IPL) or Nimbus did with BCCI (though Neo couldn?t hold on and had to forego the BCCI rights).

"Star would ideally like to buy out ESPN?s stake in the JV to get full control of India before the first series (from the BCCI rights) kicks off between India and New Zealand in August," a media observer said.

Disney may decide to first focus on consolidating its UTV investments and building the Hindi GEC vertical as well before it goes all out on sports. At least that is what Star would like Disney to do.

The cricketing rights are spread among the four broadcasting companies. The ESPN-Star JV has rights to ICC, Champions League Twenty20, England and Australia cricket boards. Ten Sports, owned by Zee Group, has rights to the five boards - Pakistan, Sri Lanka, West Indies, South Africa and Zimbabwe. It recently renewed Cricket South Africa (CSA) rights for $180 million and Zimbabwe for $20 million (both for eight years). Sony has New Zealand and IPL while Neo has Bangladesh.

India may not be the only market where News Corp will be wrestling against ESPN. Media reports indicate that News Corp will be launching a national sports network on cable television to take on ESPN in the US. News Corp has snapped up various sports rights, prominent among them being the US TV rights to Fifa World Cup in 2018 and 2022, beating ESPN in the race. It has also secured rights to the Pac-12 Conference and Big-12 Conference games and is in the running to secure an exclusive deal with Los Angeles Dodgers.

"ESPN Star Sports will telecast the New Zealand series. Star will sub-license the BCCI rights to the JV as long as the divorce does not take place," the source said.

MUMBAI: The broadcast rights of the lucrative Premier League championship for the local UK market are up for grabs with the availability of Invitati on to Tender (ITT) spanning seasons 2013 through to 2016.

The broadcast rights comprises two packages: live rights to a total of 154 matches - split into seven packages; and a free-to-air highlights package - including ?catch-up? rights.

The live rights consist of five packages of 26 matches and two packages of 12 matches with no single buyer allowed to acquire more than 116 matches.

The extra 16 live games comes as matches are moved away from Saturday 15:00 kick-off times, due to Europa League involvement or police advice. No 15:00 kick-offs can be shown live.

?This creates a more attractive and compelling offering for both broadcasters and fans; whilst allowing the continued protection of the Saturday 3 pm ?closed window? and minimising further displacement of Premier League fixtures,? the statement read.

Under the existing contract 138 games are telecast with 115 matches being broadcast on Sky Sports each season, while ESPN shows the remaining 23 games. The current agreements with Sky and ESPN are worth ?1.78 billion effective 2013.

The Premier League will conduct a separate sales process for other packages described in the ITT which includes two "Near Live" long form packages each containing 226 matches; one for linear and the other for on-demand exploitation; and an Internet-based Clips package for all 380 matches.

Both the Live and "Near Live" packages will be available for exploitation on a technology neutral basis, the statement said.

Qatari-based Al Jazeera, which had recently ventured into sports broadcasting segment with the launch of its channel beIN Sports in France, is widely expected to bid aggressively for the rights as part of its ambitions to become a global player.

Eurosport, however, suggested last week that these rumours might just be a good marketing ploy by the Premier League.

Meanwhile, Al Jazeera has reportedly announced the launch of its new sport channel, beIN Sports, in the USA this August. It will cover La Liga from Spain, Serie A from Italy and of Ligue 1 from France.

?Backed by the resources of Qatar Media Corporation and the global expertise of Mediapro, beIN Sports will provide soccer fanatics in the USA with an experience that is unmatched by any rival,? the company claims.

MUMBAI: ESPN Star Sports, which operates ESPN, Star Sports and Star Cricket channels, will air the 2012 edition of Kia X Games Asia in India.

The X Games which are Asia?s biggest action sports competition will kick off in Shanghai 29 April running through to 1 May.

ESPN will provide live and exclusive telecast of the games on from 1-3 pm on all three days. The event will feature more than 150 athletes from more than 30 countries, treating fans to competition in the sports of Skateboard, BMX, Aggressive In-Line Skate and Moto X Big Air demonstrations.

This year?s event is the 14th edition of the competition and will feature the mini-MegaRamp structure that towers more than three stories high, and longer than two basketball courts. The mini MegaRamp contests will feature Skateboard and BMX athletes dropping into a structure with a 9.2m high roll-in, launching over a gap 7.6m long and continuing into a 5.5m quarter-pipe.