Tuesday saw the announcement of a strategic licencing agreement between ZEE Entertainment and Disney Star for the exclusive TV rights to ICC Men’s Cricket Tournaments in India.
In accordance with the agreement, Disney Star will pay ZEE an undisclosed sum in order to licence ZEE the television broadcasting rights of the Men’s and Under 19 (U-19) global events of the International Cricket Council (ICC) for a term of four years (2024–2027).
All ICC tournaments will continue to be streamed exclusively through Disney Star’s online service, Disney+ Hotstar. This contract has received in-principle approval from ICC. The Men’s T20 World Cup (2024, 2026), Champions Trophy (2025), and One Day International World Cup (2027), as well as important U-19 competitions, would be seen exclusively on ZEE thanks to this affiliation.
Disney Star Had Won Both The Digital And TV Rights Last Week
“This is a first-of-its-kind partnership in the Indian media & entertainment landscape, and this association with Disney Star reflects our sharp, strategic vision for the 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”, Punit Goenka, MD & CEO, ZEE Entertainment Enterprises Ltd. said
For $3 billion, Disney Star last week renewed its contract to air International Cricket Council (ICC) competitions through 2027.
After defeating competitors, the network won the closed-loop bid procedure. The agreement covers both digital and television rights for ICC competitions for men and women. It is a significant win for Disney Star, which in June lost to Viacom18 the digital rights to the Indian Premier League (IPL) for the cycle 2023–27.
