FanCode, KPS win broadcasting rights for Indian Super League

Bengaluru: FanCode and Kaleidoscope Studios (KPS) have won the broadcasting rights for the much-delayed Indian Super League season, which is all set to start in less than a fortnight. 

FanCode won the digital and TV broadcasting rights while Kolkata-based KPS won the production rights for the world feed after the All India Football Federation (AIFF) released the tender or request for proposal last month. 

FanCode, who made a bid of Rs 8.62 crore for a complete package (TV, digital and production), outbid ABP Network (bid Rs 6.89 crore for digital and production) and JioTV (Rs 5 cr for only digital) in the race. KPS made a bid of Rs 5.25 crore for the production rights. 

Sources in FanCode revealed to DH that they are open to sharing the broadcast rights with television channels. 

Other competitors, Monarch with PR Solution and UK-based firm Two Circles, were disqualified earlier in the day after failing two different criteria as stipulated in the AIFF's tender or request for proposal. 

The winning bid amounts are a sharp fall in the broadcast deal from the last season with previous partners — including Star Sports Network, Sports18 and AsiaNet — at Rs 275 crore, suggesting a drop in the quality of broadcast, including the money spent on advertisement of the league in the past.

With the broadcast deal in place, AIFF are soon to announce the fixtures for the season while the league remains without a private sponsor for the season. 

It's also important to note that this broadcasting deal is only for the 91-match truncated season while the long-term broadcast deal tender (as per the 20-year-plan of AIFF) may come out by the end of this month. 

BFC players take pay cut

Bengaluru FC players, including skipper Sunil Chhetri, have taken a pay cut for the truncated season, confirmed the club's owner Parth Jindal on his X handle. 

"Everyone is well aware of the challenging phase Indian Football is going through. For me, as BFC team owner and someone who is deeply passionate about the sport and the club, this has been one of the toughest periods ever," Jindal wrote on 'X'.

"I am grateful to all the first team players who have agreed to reduce their remuneration during this phase.

"Without a doubt, this was one of the toughest decisions we have had to make as a club, and I truly appreciate that the players have made this sacrifice in the best interests of the club and the sport."

With the decision, Bengaluru FC join the likes of FC Goa among clubs whose players have taken a paycut for the season as the clubs are bearing 60 per cent of the financial cost (around Rs 1 crore per club) for the season and may have to cough up more if the cost to run the seasons shoots above AIFF's estimated amount of Rs 25 crore.

All 14 clubs recently wrote to the sports ministry to step in and help out with the financial situation and requested a stay on relegation for the next three to five years, waiver or subsidy on stadium and practice ground fees, security-related cost, broadcast-related fees for the current season and temporary funding from the public sector in the absence of private sponsors.