Viacom18 Secures ‘Historic’ Rights Deal for Women’s Cricket

Another major media company has invested in a sport with more than 2.5 billion fans. 

Viacom18 — a joint venture between Paramount Global and Mumbai-based Network18 — has reportedly secured a five-year, $116 million media rights deal with the new women’s Indian Premier League. The inaugural women’s Twenty20 tournament will begin play in March. 

“After pay equity, today’s bidding for media rights for women’s IPL marks another historic mandate,” tweeted BCCI secretary Jay Shah. “It’s a big and decisive step for empowerment of women’s cricket in India.”

• The deal has a per-game value of roughly $1 million.  
• It’s the second-largest deal for women’s sports rights behind the WNBA’s, per Ampere Analysis.
• Viacom18 outbid Disney Star, Sony, and Zee Entertainment Enterprises. 
• Its parent company Network18 is owned by Mumbai Indians owner Mukesh Ambani — the world’s richest sports team owner with a net worth of $88.8 billion, per Forbes.

In June 2022, Viacom18 landed a five-year, $2.6 billion deal for streaming rights to the men’s Indian Premier League. That same month, Disney Star reportedly acquired Indian TV rights for $3 billion over five years. The network previously paid $2.1 billion for eight years.

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| by Abigail Gentrup

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Earlier this month, Cricket Australia extended its domestic media rights deal with pay-TV operator Foxtel and free-to-air TV broadcaster Seven Network for $1 billion.

The pact — which covers all home men’s and women’s international matches — runs from 2024 through the end of the 2030-31 season.