The PCB, along with cricket fans in England, are still waiting for a deal to be finalized for television broadcast rights for Pakistan’s home series against England in October. The initial reserve price set by the PCB for the series was deemed excessive, leading to a lack of interest from broadcasters entering negotiations.
Despite reports that Sky and TNT Sport have shown little interest in acquiring the rights, the PCB remains confident that a deal will be reached and dismisses any concerns of a UK blackout. However, there are lingering questions about the board’s methods of securing broadcasting rights and whether they are maximizing the monetary potential of these deals.
In a recent bidding process, the PCB had to settle for a valuation significantly lower than their reserve price for domestic rights for home series from August 2024 to December 2026. The final broadcast fee is believed to be between USD 6 to 6.5 million, well below the initial quote of approximately USD 11.2 million.
Following a transparent bidding process, the broadcast rights were acquired by ARY and Tower Sports, who outbid other broadcasters and secured the rights for the upcoming series. The PCB highlighted that the domestic rights were sold for double the amount of the previous cycle, but recognized that ICC rights in Pakistan fetch a significantly higher price point.
Despite the lower value of bilateral series rights due to the absence of India-Pakistan fixtures, the upcoming England tour to Pakistan in October is anticipated by fans. While the BBC has obtained radio broadcasting rights for the tour, negotiations are still ongoing to ensure that English cricket supporters will be able to watch the matches on television.
