Zee wins global medal rights for offshore ODIs

New Delhi, Apr 6 (UNI) ZEE Telefilms today won the global media rights for ODI matches at neutral venues featuring India for a whopping 219.15 million dollars for a minimum of 25 matches spread over five years.

The contract, which runs to an average of 8.77 million dollar per match, includes lucrative 15 India-Pakistan matches, which kicks off with the two ODIs in Abu Dhabi on April 18 and 19, Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) vice president Lalit Modi announced at a press conference here.

With today's deal, the minimum bid gaurantee of the Board has crossed a staggering one billion-dollar mark, Mr Modi, who is also Chairman of BCCI Marketing Sub-Committee said.

Zee outbid domestic matches media rights holder Nimbus who offered 200.07 million dollars, while Sahara had a bid of 176.20 million dollars and ESPN-STAR was disqualified as its bid was below the reserved minimum.

Mr Modi said the contract, which would run from April 1 this year to March 31, 2011, covers television, radio and internet rights and the bidding for ground rights and title sponsorship of these matches excluding for Abu Dhabi matches will begin soon.

The ground rights for the Abu Dhabi matches had been awarded to Percept D'Mark for 3.61 million dollar, Mr Modi said, adding that the entire earnings from the first match will go to relief work for the victims of last year's earthquake in Pakistan and India, while the earnings from the second match will be shared between India and Pakistan.

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