Zee will be the only TV broadcaster for ICC men’s tournaments in India till 2027, while Disney+ Hotstar will retain digital rights for the matches.
As part of a four-year agreement, Disney Star has won the TV and digital rights to all International Cricket Council tournaments in India.
Disney Star has agreed to license part of its ICC rights for ICC men’s and Under-19 events in the Indian market to Zee. It will retain digital rights for the events.
Zee will now broadcast the ICC men’s and Under-19 tournaments in India for the 2024-27 cycle. The broadcast rights for the women’s events remain with Disney.
The agreement allows Zee to broadcast all ICC men’s and under-19 global events including ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2024 and 2026, ICC Men’s Champions Trophy 2025 and the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup 2027.
Speaking about strategic development, Punit Goenka, MD and CEO of Zee Entertainment Enterprises Ltd said this is one of its kind partnership in the Indian media and entertainment landscape and “this association with Disney Star reflects our sharp, strategic vision for sports business in India”.
“As a one-stop television destination for ICC men’s cricket events until 2027, Zee will leverage the strength of its network to offer a compelling experience for its viewers and a great return on investment for its advertisers. Long-term profitability and value-generation continue to be our areas of focus across the business, and we will always evaluate all the necessary steps that will enable us to make sports a compelling value proposition for the Company. We look forward to working with ICC and Disney Star, to enable this strategic offering for our television viewers in India.”
K Madhavan, Country Manager and President, Disney Star, said: “By securing the IPL television broadcast rights for 2023-27 and now opting to retain only the digital rights for ICC tournaments for 2024-27, we have in place a balanced and robust cricket offering for our audiences across linear and digital. Over the years, Disney Star has strengthened the appeal of international cricket in India, enabling it to reach diverse age groups and cultural demographics across all parts of the country.”
Greg Barclay, Chair of International Cricket Council, 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 connect and engage with more fans than ever before.”
Barclay stated: “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.”
