LAHORE: In an encouraging development for the game, the HBL Pakistan Super League has fetched 113 and 45 per cent increase from the sale of live streaming and broadcast rights for the 2024 and 2025 editions of the event.

Zaka Ashraf, the chairman of the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) Interim Management Committee, said this during a media conference here at the Gaddafi Stadium on Wednesday. At the presser, Zaka was flanked by PCB chief operating officer Salman Naseer and PSL commissioner Naila Bhatti.

The PCB chief said that the credit for the considerable gains from sale of the streaming and broadcast rights went to the bid teams which also featured representatives of the PSL franchises.

“Ninety-five per cent of the total income of the PSL is to go to the six franchises. Therefore, all the franchises are also happy over the huge increase which will also attract other investors to join the league in future,” the PCB chief said while congratulating the successful bidders on becoming partners of the HBL PSL brand.

Unfolding the details about the bids, Naila said keeping in mind the current financial situation of the country, the PCB was afraid of not getting appropriate response but it was a good day for the PCB that both the rights sold out by making a record increase.

“The response for the media rights in the first round was not [that] healthy. However, in the second round ARY offered around Rs7 billion bid and it was declared successful among the four contenders,” Naila said.

The PCB, on the sale of PSL broadcast and live streaming rights, issued a press release on Wednesday.

“HBL Pakistan Super League had yet another historic day on Tuesday, when its live-streaming and broadcast rights saw an increase of 113 and 45 per cent for the 2024 and 2025 editions, respectively,” read the PCB news release.

“ARY Communications (Pvt) Limited (ARY) submitted the highest bid, pursuant to a public tender process, to broadcast HBL Pakistan Super League 2024 and 2025 in Pakistan, which sees a whopping increase of 45 per cent from the value for the last two years.

“Bids were received from Independent Media Corporation Pvt. Ltd (IMC – the parent company of GEO Entertainment Television Pvt Ltd), ARY Communications (Pvt) Limited (ARY), Pakistan Television Corporation Limited (PTVC) and Tower Sports (Ten Sports).

“Meanwhile, Walee Technologies submitted the highest bid, pursuant to a public tender process, to live stream HBL Pakistan Super League 2024 and 2025 in Pakistan, which sees a huge increase of 113 per cent from the value for the last two years,” the release added.

“The PCB received bids from five parties — Consortium of ARY Communications (ARY, Myco, Daraz and Tamasha), Walee Technologies, TransGroup FZE, Independent Media Corporation Pvt. Ltd (IMC — the parent company of GEO Entertainment Television Pvt Ltd) and Tower Sports (Ten Sports).

“The PCB Bid Committee has recommended the highest bids submitted by ARY and Walee Technologies to the competent authority for approval.”

PCB, CA TO ENHANCE COOPERATION

Meanwhile, Zaka said both the PCB and Cricket Australia (CA) had agreed to increase their cooperation in all departments of the game.

In this regard, Zaka said, CA would soon get the approval of its Board to sign an agreement with the PCB.

Zaka, who visited Australia recently during Pakistan senior team’s Test tour to the country, said while it was a hard fact that Pakistan suffered a 3-0 clean sweep Down Under but added that “the new agreement to be signed between the two boards, will help players of both the countries play better in future, while touring each other”.

“According to the new understanding developed between the two boards, U-19, ‘A’ sides and women teams of both the countries will tour each other on an annual basis,” Zaka disclosed.

“When players of the Shaheens [A’] and the U-19 teams also make their places in the national team, they will no longer be be stranger to the playing conditions in Australia.

“It is the first step to prepare a strong [national] team for the tour of Australia which can deliver there in a better way.”

To a question, Zaka said the IMC had been summoned and after forming the Board of Governors, the elections of the PCB chairman for the next three years would be held. The IMC meeting will be held in Karachi on Jan 16.

Talking about the development of cricket infrastructure in the country, Zaka said Pakistan Army had offered the PCB to build stadiums in the Defence Housing Authority (DHA) areas of different cities. Moreover, he said, the Punjab government was ready to hand over some cricket venues to the PCB.

Meanwhile, Salman said the CA would also help the PCB in preparing curators and groundsmen under a comprehensive programme.

Published in Dawn, January 11th, 2024