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BCCI seeks to tweak home cricket schedule to lure broadcasters
In a meeting between the Committee of Administrators and Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) officials, Board treasurer Anirudh Chaudhary was asked to chalk out the FTP, which is expected to be discussed at the SGM
With Indian cricket’s broadcast deal up for sale, the focus of Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) officials will be to find a way to manipulate ICC’s Future Tours Programme (FTP) to get the most out of it. The FTP, thus, will be on top of board’s agenda at its Special General Meeting in New Delhi on Monday.
In June, BCCI announced Vivo as the IPL title sponsor for five years. The global smart phone manufacturer bid Rs 2199 crore, a 554 per cent rise over the previous deal.
But finding broadcasters willing to splurge for the national team’s TV rights may not be that easy.
It was a win-win situation in the current deal as India played 90 per cent of their cricket at home in 2016-17. In 2018, the BCCI doesn’t have much to offer as India play mostly abroad. Hence, to attract bidders, BCCI will have to get the FTP right for the 2019-2024 cycle to encourage the broadcasters to raise the bar.
In a meeting between the Committee of Administrators and BCCI officials, Board treasurer Anirudh Chaudhary was asked to chalk out the FTP, which is expected to be discussed at the SGM.
The focus will be to have a strong home schedule and avoid the current situation where a new broadcaster would face a barren season. The idea is for India to host international teams in October-November and February-March.
There will also be discussion on the number of playing days in a year, which skipper Virat Kohli wants to be curtailed. The players have the backing of the Committee of Administrators but BCCI officials feel it is the Board’s prerogative to decide the schedule.
Apart from the FTP, the SGM has to clear a hefty compensation of around Rs 850 crore to defunct IPL franchise Kochi Tuskers Kerala.
Also on agenda is lifting the ban on Rajasthan Cricket Association (RCA), which is expected to be a conditional revocation of suspension.
