Disney Star acquires ICC media rights in India

Disney Star has won the TV and digital rights for both men’s and women’s International Cricket Council (ICC) global events in India until the end of 2027. The decision was announced by the ICC as it named Disney Star as the winner of the ICC Media Rights tender.

The ICC announced that Disney Star had won after a single round sealed bid process and would broadcast all ICC matches in India.

Although the financials haven’t been announced, the figures are reported to be more than the US$1.44 billion, which was the figure for the last four-year cycle. 

Greg Barclay, Chair, ICC, commented:

“We are delighted to continue to partner with Disney Star as the home of ICC cricket for the next four years which has delivered an outstanding result for our Members and will support our ambitious growth plans. They will play a crucial role in the future of our sport and connecting and engaging with more fans than ever before.

“Having a broadcast and digital partner for women’s events in India is a significant step forward in our ambition to accelerate the growth of the women’s game. Disney Star presented impressive plans for the promotion of women’s cricket and they clearly share our vision so I’m incredibly excited by the size of the opportunity ahead.

“This was an incredibly competitive process, which isn’t surprising given the huge audiences that cricket consistently attracts with more than a billion fans that passionately follow the game globally. I’d like to thank all of the bidders for their interest in and support of cricket.“

K Madhavan, Country Manager & President, Disney Star, added:

“We are delighted at being able to continue our association with the International Cricket Council (ICC) and look forward to strengthening our partnership by growing the sport of cricket in the years ahead.

“With the acquisition of the ICC Digital and TV broadcast rights, Disney Star has further strengthened its status as the premier destination for marquee cricket events in the country.“

Apart from Disney Star, other Indian broadcasters such as Star, Sony, Viacom and Zee had all submitted their tenders at the ICC headquarters in Dubai.