The excitement’s really starting to build for the upcoming Test series between Pakistan and England, which kicks off on October 7 in Multan. But while cricket fans are gearing up for what promises to be a thrilling contest, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has a major headache on its hands—one that could leave British fans completely in the dark.
With only two weeks left before the first ball is bowled, the PCB still hasn’t secured international media rights for the Pakistan-England series. This not only risks a blackout in the UK but could also lead to a significant financial setback.
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A Price Too High?
The PCB initially set the bar high, aiming to secure a $21 million media rights deal for three years. But here’s where things went off course: none of the bids came even close to that figure.
A modest $7.8 million from the international sports media company Sports Five was the best offer, which is far below PCB’s expectations. Pakistani companies teamed up to offer $4.1 million, while Willow TV’s bid came in at just $2.25 million. It’s no surprise the PCB turned them all down.
Re-Tendering and Lower Bids
Not willing to give up, the PCB tried again, but this time the results were even more underwhelming. In a re-tendering process focused only on the home series against New Zealand and the women’s series against the West Indies, a joint bid from two local companies won the rights for just $99,000.
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Yes, you read that right—less than $100,000 for international media rights. Adding insult to injury, when the PCB attempted to sell media rights for the 2024-26 period, the bids they received were half of the previously rejected offers. This forced the PCB to hit pause on the process yet again.
Where’s Sky Sports?
Traditionally, British fans have tuned in to Sky Sports to watch Pakistan cricket. But this time, Sky Sports seems to be sitting this one out. Without their involvement, the PCB may have to sell the rights at a much lower price, just to avoid a UK blackout. And with time running out, it’s looking more and more likely that the board will have to settle for far less than they’d hoped for.
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