By M.Ilyas
PESHAWAR- The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has inked a deal for just over 6.3 Billion Pak Rupees for the Domestic PSL media rights in the current cycle. The previous cycle saw a more lucrative agreement, exceeding 3.2 Billion Pak Rupees for domestic broadcast. The sharp depreciation of the Rupee against the Dollar has halved its value, raising questions about the understanding of this complex financial landscape by the current administration. The PSL, touted as an international brand, has seemingly suffered a blow in real asset value, contrary to expectations of growth over a two-year period. Critics are quick to question the comprehension abilities of an administration led by an undergraduate in grasping the economic nuances of such deals. Curiously, the state-owned Pakistan Television (PTV) exhibited little resistance in the PSL media rights bidding, failing to secure a deal below the minimum reserve price. This allowed ARY to effortlessly clinch the rights, prompting speculation about a potential collusion to favor a major media house. PTV now faces the challenge of purchasing these rights from ARY, potentially at a rate dictated by the latter. The decision-making process at PTV is under scrutiny, with questions arising about who is influencing these crucial calls for a state broadcaster. The absence of a robust fight for the rights has raised suspicions, leading some to suggest that a joint bid with another party, as seen in the previous cycle, might have been a more sensible approach. With ARY now holding a monopoly over PSL telecasts, concerns mount over the possibility of reselling these rights at a significantly higher price, pointing to potential irregularities that merit investigation by PTV. The shadow of something fishy at play looms large, demanding a closer look into the intricacies of this deal.
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