Women's IPL: Viacom18 bags media rights worth Rs 951 crore for 5 years

Viacom18 has been awarded the Women's IPL media rights for Rs 951 crore for the next five years announced Jay Shah, the Secretary of Board of Control for Cricket in India, in a tweet today. Each match has been valued at Rs 7.09 crore. 

The rights comprise three categories - linear (TV), digital and combined (TV and digital) - and were sold globally, including India.

Congratulations @viacom18 for winning the Women’s @IPL media rights. Thank you for your faith in @BCCI and @BCCIWomen. Viacom has committed INR 951 crores which means per match value of INR 7.09 crores for next 5 years (2023-27). This is massive for Women’s Cricket

Shah further said, "After pay equity, today's bidding for media rights for Women's IPL marks another historic mandate. It's a big and decisive step for empowerment of women's cricket in India, which will ensure participation of women from all ages. A new dawn indeed!"

The rights comprise three categories - linear (TV), digital and combined (TV and digital) - and were sold globally, including India.

Shah said the bidding amount would have a per-match-value of Rs 7.09 crore (USD 866,000 approx.) over five years.

The men's IPL, in comparison, fetched a five-year deal of Rs 48,390.5 crore (USD 6.2 billion approx. at the time) in June last year with a per-match-value of INR 58 crore (USD 7.43 million approx.).

Women's media rights did not have a base price unlike the men's. Over 22 matches will be played in the tournament that is set to be launched in March this year.

Broadcast heavyweights snapped up five-year media rights for the men’s IPL for a steep ?48,390. Disney Star acquired the rights to broadcast men’s IPL in the Indian subcontinent for Rs 23,575 Cr ($3.02 Bn) for 2023-27 and Viacom18 grabbed the digital rights for the league with a bid of INR 20,500 Cr ($2.57 Bn).

The men's rights were split across multiple categories and regions.