ESS pay $1bln for Champions League rights

NEW DELHI (Reuters) - ESPN Star Sports will shell out nearly $1 billion for the commercial and marketing rights for the Twenty20 Champions League. The inaugural tournament will be held Dec. 3-10 with $6 million in prize money. It will feature eight teams, two each from Australia, India and South Africa and the champions from the England and Pakistan domestic leagues. Organisers said on Thursday the broadcaster had bid $900 million for a 10-year deal, plus some $75 million for marketing. "The commercial rights were won by ESPN STAR Sports with a bid of $975 million (including $75 million for marketing the tournament)," they said in a statement. "This makes the Champions League Twenty20 the highest value cricket tournament on a per game basis." The Australian, Indian and South African boards will jointly organise the Champions League, an off-shoot of a lucrative Indian version launched this year. "We are absolutely delighted that after a fair and transparent process, we have what we believe to be the best commercial deal for the inaugural Champions League season and for cricket fans across the world," Lalit Modi, Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) vice-president said in the release. Organisers plan to expand the field to 12 teams next year.

source: www.cricbuzz.com

T20 Champions League put off: Modi

Cricket's multi-million dollar Twenty20 Champions League has been postponed, an Indian official said on Friday, amid reports of wrangling over terms and conditions. The inaugural football-style League, featuring the top two Twenty20 domestic sides from England, Australia, South Africa, India and possibly Pakistan, was to be held across India between September 30 and October 8. Indian cricket official Lalit Modi, who organised the hugely successful Indian Premier League Twenty20 competition earlier this year, said the Champions League would be held at a later date. "There is no plan to shelve the tournament but the dates will be finalised after the Champions Trophy in Pakistan in September," Modi was quoted as saying in the local media. Modi declined to elaborate, but media reports blamed the delay on disagreements between the participating nations over eligibility, timing and financial terms. The 10-million dollar event was to take place in the short 11-day gap between the Champions Trophy final in Pakistan on September 28 and the first Test between Australia and India in Bangalore from October 9. Cricket Australia, tasked with finalising the playing conditions of the Champions League, was reportedly unhappy that the dates clashed with Australia's only warm-up match on the Indian tour before the first Test. India's demand for a 50 percent financial stake in the League was also opposed by other nations, reports said. India also insisted that English counties that fielded players signed up with the unauthorised Indian Cricket League would not be allowed to take part in the Champions League. The Indian board does not recognise the ICL, which was started last year by Zee Telefilms, India's leading listed media house, under the chairmanship of former World Cup winning captain Kapil Dev. At least two of the four English counties due to play in the semi-finals of the domestic Twenty20 Cup on Saturday feature ICL players. England has said it cannot bar ICL players, fearing legal action over restraint of trade.

Source: http://www.cricbuzz.com/component/latest_cricket_news/Story/5063/-t20-champions-league-put-off:-modi/