Late on Monday night, the BCCI cited reasons for its inability to proceed with the IPL media rights bid process scheduled to be held in Mumbai on Tuesday. Eighteen IT and media companies had purchased the Invitation To Tender (ITT) for the global media rights from 2018 to 2027.
While detailing the entire IPL media rights process, from floating the ITT to receipt of applications, the BCCI also referred to the Supreme Court order of October 21 which had asked the Justice Lodha Committee to appoint an independent auditor to scrutinise the tender process.
The BCCI’s long explanation came after the Committee responded on Monday with a note to the Board, saying that for the Committee to give any direction on the IPL media rights bid issue, its president and secretary must give an undertaking that they will adopt the Reforms in Cricket report.
In the concluding part, the BCCI release said: “The BCCI, apart from the above communication, has so far at the time of going to the press, not received any further directions from the Committee, which is now the custodian of the entire process and has been tasked with the duty to ensure that the tender process is undertaken in a professional and transparent manner with least inconvenience to all stakeholders.
“Once the BCCI receives a response from the Committee it shall bring the same to the notice of all stakeholders as the Board is currently not in a position to take any decision in the matter other than what the Committee recommends. In the absence of permission from the Committee to go ahead with the process scheduled for Tuesday, the BCCI is unable to do so.
Unforeseen
“The BCCI requests all bidders to appreciate that the events as have occurred were unforeseen and something over which the Board has no control. The potential bidders would appreciate that, in the past, the BCCI has responded to all queries to potential bidders in a prompt fashion and has conducted the entire process in a fair, transparent and professional manner.
“The BCCI offers its sincere apology to all potential bidders and stakeholders who have put in efforts to put together bids by expending considerable time and resources, and have travelled from all over the country and the world to take part in the event.’’
