ACC announces $170 million base price for Asia Cup media rights; auction slated for Nov 1

The auction for the media rights to the Asia Cup is slated for November 1, as per a report by Cricbuzz. The report said that the Asian Cricket Council (ACC) has announced a base price of $170 million for the media rights to the Asia Cup, which will include both men's and women's tournaments.

Additionally, the rights package encompasses the Men's Asia Cup, Women's Asia Cup and several under-19 and emerging team competitions. According to the report, these media rights will be auctioned for a period of eight years, that is from 2024 to 2031. The Men’s Asia Cup is particularly valuable for broadcasters, with a minimum of two highly anticipated matches between India and Pakistan guaranteed in each edition.

Notedly, the next Men's Asia Cup is scheduled to be held in India in 2025 (T20 format). Future editions will be jointly hosted by Bangladesh, Pakistan and Sri Lanka, alternating between ODI and T20 formats. The media report pointed out that the rights will be sold through an e-auction, with technical bids required by October 30 in Dubai. In addition to this, the ACC has also confirmed that the Women's Asia Cup will consist of three tournaments during this timeframe.

The upcoming auction has generated interest, particularly regarding the competition between Viacom18 and Disney Star, as per the report. Both companies are expected to make bids, however, it remains uncertain whether they will do so separately due to an impending merger that is still awaiting regulatory approval. The report further added that the e-auction format has been praised for its fairness and transparency, creating an exciting opportunity for broadcasters to compete for the lucrative media rights to one of cricket's premier continental events.