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Who'll market telecast rights for BCCI?
The marketing committee has not been formed since the new set of office-bearers took charge on Janaury 27, when the general body meeting was reconvened.
The big question after Thursday's Madras High Court interim order on telecast rights is: who will sell the rights on behalf of the Indian cricket board for the upcoming home series against Pakistan?
For the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), the marketing committee is one of the most important as it is responsible for marketing telecast rights, all tournaments to sponsors. It does a variety of other things as well.
But the committee has not been formed since the new set of office-bearers took charge Janaury 27, when the general body meeting was reconvened.
It is the prerogative of the board president to appoint the marketing committee, but Ranbir Singh Mahendra has not done it, according to BCCI sources.
Mahendra, who also assumed charge January 27, even told the BCCI's working committee last week that he would constitute the panel soon but he has not done it as yet, said an official.
"He told the members at Thursday's working committee meeting here that he would constitute the committee that night itself, but it has not been done so far," said a senior BCCI official who was present at the meeting in New Delhi.
The president heads the marketing committee and the other members are those who know how to do business well. The BCCI treasurer is a permanent member of the panel.
But Mahendra was preoccupied with Haryana assembly elections, which he was contesting and is now awaiting the results on February 27.
When IANS tried to contact Mahendra, no one answered the phone.
Pakistan will play three Tests and six one-day internationals (ODIs) on the 50-day tour starting February 28.
The Madras High Court on Thursday allowed the Indian cricket board to give production rights of the upcoming series against Pakistan to any company it wants, while giving terrestrial rights to public broadcaster Prasar Bharati.
