Pakistan’s all-important cricket tour of England will not be broadcast on the national broadcast network PTV back home. There is a strong likelihood that PTV will not be able get the broadcast rights for three Tests and as many T20 Internationals between England and the Pakistan.
Sony Pictures Network India holds the England and Wales Cricket Board media rights for the territory of Indian sub-continent. Given the strained ties between the SPNI and the PTV, there remains little hope that the two broadcasters will agree on a deal to share the feed in Pakistan.
PTV has reportedly not cleared the dues from the previous deal with the Mumbai-based broadcast network. That will deprive PTV from negotiating another contract with SPNI, which through its TenSports bouquet of channels in Pakistan competes with PTV.
SPNI also holds the broadcast rights for the Pakistan Cricket Board. There has been a strong resentment within country over that too. While the deal again deprives PTV from broadcasting international cricket hosted by PCB, the grudge is also about an Indian broadcaster earning money in Pakistan.
Questions are also raised about why PTV did not take a lead to acquire the rights for PTV Sports!
A section of media has been furious about the Indian broadcaster taking money from Pakistan to India by showing Pakistan cricket series and State broadcaster owned by the Government not even being able to get shared feed.
Questions are also raised about SPNI successfully renegotiating the PCB media rights deal, which according to media reports has inflicted a loss of up to $4.95 million to the PCB.
PCB chief Ehsan Mani and senior management are accused of favouring the SPNI.
SPNI had initially received the PCB broadcast rights with ($385 million) deal with Zee Entertainment Enterprises Limited for the acquisition of the TenSports network.