Thursday, February 26, 2009

IPL organisers initiate reconciliation move with BIG TV

NEW DELHI: Anil Ambani group firm Big TV may be back in contention for sponsoring the T20 cricket league IPL, which it had dumped last month owing to differences with event broadcaster Sony, with organisers initiating fresh moves for a reconciliation.

Big TV, the erstwhile on-ground DTH partner, felt aggrieved by the broadcaster Multi Screen Media (Sony) tying up with Airtel Digital TV, a Sunil Mittal led group company, saying it had the first right to on-air sponsorship.

“We are still awaiting a clarification from Sony. There are certain rights which (have) to be given to our on-ground partners (BIG TV) and if that is not given we will have to see why it has not been given,'' IPL CEO Mr Sundar Raman told PTI.

“(The talk of) the revised on-air or on-ground sponsorship offers is mere speculation at this juncture and we do not want to comment on (it),'' a Big TV spokesperson said.

“As per the arrangement with IPL, we were assured of sponsorship protection rights for an on-air deal with Sony. But Sony has proceeded to sign an on-air presenting sponsor deal with our competitor and hence we had little choice but to withdraw from this tournament,'' the spokesperson said.

The IPL organisers had sought a clarification from MSM, the broadcast rights holder of the IPL after Big TV withdrew from the Rs 137 crore on-ground sponsorship deal as a DTH partner. – PTI

Source: www.thehindubusinessline.com

No comments:

Post a Comment

News, Videos and Photos of IPL-2009

Labels