Lalit Modi's IPL Rights Plan: Split Packages to Lure Netflix, Apple

With the current rights cycle ending in 2027, Modi expects the IPL to "go to market" as early as the first quarter of 2027. He argues that the IPL should mirror the strategy used by the English Premier League (EPL) and increasingly by Formula 1.

"They have to go to market before the 2028 season, but ideally I think they will go to market, if I'm not mistaken, early next year, probably in the first quarter of 2027. In my view, they should package their rights individually, that is, by different media types, different streaming, whether it's OTT, digital, satellite television, terrestrial television, mobile rights, or global, country by country," Modi said.

"I think they should individually market them actually, if they can, like EPL is doing now, and to a certain extent Formula 1 is going to start to do. I think anybody and everybody who's in the broadcasting business would be looking at bidding or in the mobile business should be looking at bidding," he added.

By marketing rights individually across different platforms and territories, Modi believes the league can attract a wider array of bidders beyond traditional broadcasters. He anticipated a massive influx of tech giants and global streamers into the bidding war, identifying Netflix, Meta, and Apple as likely contenders alongside Amazon.

"Every satellite company that is transmitting television content should be looking at it. I see all the companies, whether Netflix, Meta, or Apple apart from the new entrants, be looking at it along with Amazon. You would see some recent players like Bean, who want to expand their territory, also be looking at it.

"Of course, there's ESPN, Starsports, I don't rule out Sony coming back into the market, but you may never know, there are other media players who might be looking at it without doubt," said Modi.

Reflecting on the league's exponential growth, Modi recalled the humble beginnings of the first media rights deal, which was valued at approximately 4 crore rupees per game. In the second year alone, that value jumped to 10 crore rupees.

"When I did the first media right deal, it was approximately 4 crore rupees per game. It went on in the second year, the value increased to close to about 10 crore rupees a game. And then I said, in 2010, 'I see every media cycle right doubling'.

"And if you've seen it, from 4 crore rupees to close to 118 crore rupees today, the media right have really increased, doubled every time. And so if I look at it today, it's going to be the next cycle, I don't see anything less than at least 70 to 100 per cent uptake," he concluded.

- IANS