Viacom 18 bags media rights for Women's IPL for 951 crore
New Delhi, Jan 16: The BCCI on Monday announced that Viacom 18 have grabbed the media rights for the upcoming Women's IPL for a whopping Rs 951 crore for five years after pipping other bidders, including Disney Star and Sony, in a closed-bid auction.
The auction for the T20 league was conducted by the cricket board in Mumbai on Monday. The inaugural Women's IPL is likely to begin in the first week of March. Five teams will compete and all the matches will be held in Mumbai.
The global rights comprise three categories -- linear (TV), digital and combined (TV and digital) and Viacom 18 successfully bid for the combined rights.
In the men's IPL, separate rights are sold across regions.
"Women's cricket has been on the up since a few years and the recently concluded bilateral series against Australia is a great testament to how popular women's cricket has become in India," BCCI president Roger Binny said in a release issued by the board.
"It was only apt to get our own women's T20 league and give the fans more of women's cricket."
According to BCCI secretary Jay Shah, the fee per match will come to Rs 7.09 crore for the next five years.
"The broadcasters play a key role in taking the game to a wider audience and their active interest in the league is a clear indication that the Women's Indian Premier League is headed in the right direction. The per-match valuation of Rs INR 7.09 crore is something that has never previously been registered for a women's game," Shah said.
"I congratulate Viacom18 for securing both the TV and digital rights with a combined bid of INR 951 crores and welcome them on Board. The journey has well and truly started and we will take another major step this month when the five franchises are announced."
Viacom18 had won the IPL digital rights for Rs 23,758 crore while Disney Star had retained the TV rights for Rs 23,575 crore for a five-year period starting 2023 during a three-day auction held in June, 2022.
IPL governing council chairman Arun Singh Dhumal said: "The faith of all our bidders for this process also testifies that they see value in investing in this property which will only be growing with each passing year.
"Women's cricket has shown immense growth in the past few years and our own T20 league, it only solidifies our approach towards women's cricket and the potential it has for growth in India."
Some of the country's biggest stars in the women's game, such as national team skipper Harmanpreet Kaur and senior opener Smriti Mandhana, lauded the BCCI after the big announcement.
"Huge congratulations to Viacom18 and @BCCI, @JayShah for a historic day in women's cricket. Today marks a new era where our women cricketers will get the platform they deserve to thrive, excel and develop on the global stage. I'm sure you'll be mesmerized by the talent we have!" Harmanpreet tweeted.
Mandhana said, "Today's a day that every Indian women cricketer will remember. The #WIPL is finally taking shape. @BCCI, @JayShah and all those involved deserve huge praise. Women's cricket will go to the next level with this global stage provided. Come on girls, it's all yours for the taking!"
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7/11 serial train blasts: HC asks Mumbai University if convict can take law exams online
Mumbai (PTI): The Bombay High Court has sought to know from the Mumbai University if it can permit a convict in the 7/11 serial bomb blasts case to take his law examinations online.
A division bench of Justices Makarand Karnik and Kamal Khata on Friday said owing to security reasons, the situation may warrant to permit the candidate, Mohammed Sajid Marghoob Ansari, to appear for his exams online.
On July 11, 2006, seven bomb blasts occurred in coaches of some local trains in Mumbai, killing 189 persons and injuring 824 others.
In September 2015, a special court convicted Ansari and others in the blasts case.
Ansari had sought permission to appear for the second semester law examinations held by the Siddharth Law College in south Mumbai from May 3 to May 15.
The court then permitted him to physically appear for the exams and directed the Nashik central prison authorities to take him to the college on the exam dates.
On May 10, Ansar moved an application saying he could not appear for the papers held on May 3 and 9.
The prosecution said despite genuine efforts made by the Nashik central prison authorities, Ansari could not be taken to the college on time.
The bench directed the prison superintendent to file an affidavit by June 5, stating why there was a delay.
The court also asked advocate Rui Rodrigues, appearing for the Mumbai University, if Ansari could be permitted to appear for the exams online to which he said there was no such facility.
In the peculiar facts as in the present case, the situation may warrant, having regard to the security concerns, to permit the candidate to appear through the online mode, the HC said.
The court directed the Mumbai University to clarify its stand for permitting such candidates to appear through the online mode.
"We request the competent authority of Mumbai University to look into this aspect and after consulting with all concerned, including the ATS (Maharashtra Anti-Terrorism Squad), place its stand on record," the court said.
The bench also asked the university to say if the two exams that Ansari missed owing to circumstances beyond his control could be rescheduled.
The high court posted the matter for further hearing on June 10.
In 2015, Ansari got permission from the court to pursue the law degree course.
In 2023, he got permission to appear for the first semester exams.
The high court while granting permission to Ansari to appear for the second semester exams noted that he has undergone actual imprisonment for more than 17 years and during his incarceration pursued further education.
The prosecution opposed his plea claiming he was a high risk prisoner convicted on serious charges.
