WIPL MEDIA RIGHTS BONANZA: A MEGA BOOST FOR WOMEN'S CRICKET

The impressive crowd during India vs Australia T20I series in India was proof of changing times as far as the women’s game in India is concerned. BCCI’s decision  of equal pay for both male and female cricketers...

- RENIN WILBEN

Viacom 18 has bagged the media rights for the inaugural five-year cycle of the upcoming Women’s Indian Premier League. The winning bid for the same was INR 951 crore, which basically translates to a value of INR 7.09 crore per WIPL match for the 2023-27 period. The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) confirmed that Viacom18 was the successful bidder for the consolidated bid for the media rights - the global television and digital rights. Women’s cricket has been on the rise for the last few years. The impressive crowd during India vs Australia T20I series in India was proof of changing times as far as the women’s game in India is concerned. BCCI’s decision of equal pay for both male and female cricketers in the country was another big step in the right direction. Big women cricketers like skipper Harmanpreet Kaur and Smriti Mandhana, who have been part of Australia’s Women’s Big Bash League (BBL) over the last few years, have constantly been batting for a women’s IPL. Finally, their dream will be a reality, with the inaugural edition tentatively scheduled for March 2023. Speaking of the WIPL auction, the Manchester United group are one of the foreign parties to have confirmed their interest in owning a side in India’s women’s T20 league. And now, the mega media rights sale is also a massive boost for women’s cricket in India. As the cricket world watches with eyes wide open as WIPL seems set to change the women’s game, we look at how the other women’s leagues and key T20 tournaments have been faring about the money, media rights, and popularity aspect.

AUSTRALIA'S WBBL PART OF CA'S ALL-INCLUSIVE CRICKET BROADCAST PACKAGE UNTIL 2031