By IANS,
Karachi : Pakistan has approached former International Cricket Council (ICC) president Ehsan Mani to help sell its media rights for the next four years.
Under pressure because of foreign teams’ reluctance to tour the country because of security fears, Pakistan is apprehensive that it might not be able to fetch the best price for the television rights which will be up for grabs within the next few days.
“Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has requested me to assist it in selling out their TV and media rights for the next four years”,” Mani told IANS here Friday.
Mani is confident that “even in the prevailing conditions, PCB could get the full market value for their home series subject to a universal condition, that broadcasters will not pay anything in case of any team pulling out from any series.”
Mani, who retired as ICC president in 2006, said: “There is no doubt the Indian Premier League (IPL) has grabbed most of the TV rights money but I’m hopeful that PCB’s television rights for the next four years would be sold on full market value.”
He added: “The PCB however, would suffer in case of any team not fulfilling its obligation. For example Sri Lankan players are talking of not visiting England next year as they are interested in IPL. But the English broadcasters would not pay for the series not taking place.”
Mani said: “When any team pulls out, the host country loses not only the income generated by television rights but it also suffers huge and immeasurable loss in terms of advertisement, gate money, endorsements and most of all great loss to the projection and promotion of sport in the country.”