NEW DELHI, Dec 5: Even as the wait continued over any decision regarding holding of the Champions Trophy 2025 following India’s refusal to travel to Pakistan due to security reasons, some principal broadcasters are believed to have pointed out to the International Cricket Council (ICC) the financial implications if either India or Pakistan pull out of the tournament, a revenue loss of 90 per cent versus less than 10 per cent respectively.
Several media reports had suggested that the tournament could be held in a ‘hybrid’ manner with India playing their matches in Dubai while Pakistan Cricket Bard so far has refused to concede its rights to hold the tournament entirely on its soil, including the India matches. It had also threatened to withdraw from the tournament if India’s demand for hybrid model was conceded. It had also given the ICC the option of holding the Champions Trophy in hybrid model if it agreed to hold all coming tournaments till 2031 in the same model when Pakistan will be due to play matches in India.
Nothing official has been announced by any organisation and the ICC is believed to be seized with the matter weighing all the pros and cons. But a note written by a broadcaster to the ICC may clinch the issue.
According to media reports, Star India had written to the ICC when the row over the competition started with numbers showing what is at stake with respect to revenue. While selling their media rights for the period of four years, the ICC decided to sell the India market separately. As a result, the deal with Star India amounted to 90% of their global revenue share.
According to the note, if India decides to opt out of the Champions Trophy, the ICC members will have to forego 90 per cent of the $750 million (total value of the media rights). On the other hand, if Pakistan decides to opt out, the ICC members will have to forego less than 10 per cent of the total amount.
In the report, industry sources said – “The ICC is well within its rights to shift the tournament to any country as long as it is in the best interests of the property (read: Champions Trophy). The decision is not so complicated as it is being made to look.”
“There is no question of the tournament getting cancelled. As for the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) saying they will do a quid-pro with India when the Asia Cup arrives, let’s be clear that the current topic is an ICC matter. The Asia Cup is for the Asian Cricket Council to decide. Neither is the federation the same, nor the broadcaster and it’s a completely separate issue for PCB to think about,” sources added.
(Manas Dasgupta)