The Indian cricket team could soon be playing at offshore venues like Abu Dhabi, Dubai, New York, Houston, Chicago and Kuala Lumpur.
These, along with Sharjah, Holland, London and Birmingham in England, Toronto, Tristate Area in the US, Palo Alto and bay area, Singapore and Hong Kong, are in line to host one-day international matches, the Indian cricket board announced here Wednesday.
Many of these venues are home to a large number of expatriates from the Indian subcontinent.
The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) mentioned these venues while announcing a tender for global media rights for five years for all matches that India will play on neutral grounds.
"The rights comprise all television, radio and internet. The tender is for a period of five years, from April 1, 2006 to March 31, 2011," said the statement.
The rights will include media rights for the upcoming India-Pakistan Friendship Series, comprising two one-day internationals, in Abu Dhabi April 18 and 19.
These matches will be played to raise funds for the people affected by the October 2005 earthquake that killed thousands in the subcontinent.
The last date for the submission of tenders is April 5, the venue being Nirlon House in Mumbai. The tenders will be scrutinised the same day.
{{/usCountry}}The last date for the submission of tenders is April 5, the venue being Nirlon House in Mumbai. The tenders will be scrutinised the same day.
{{/usCountry}}The financial bids will be opened between 2 pm and 5 pm at the Oberoi hotel in New Delhi April 6.
"The global media rights tender is intended to streamline the process of match telecasting wherever the Indian team is playing," said Lalit Modi, BCCI vice-president and chairman of its marketing sub-committee.
"With the number and quality of matches growing, this streamlining becomes increasingly important."
He said that where matches were played in International Cricket Council's full member countries, the broadcasting rights will fall under the purview of the home country board.