BCCI bosses spar over e-auction process

The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) CEO Rahul Johri and acting secretary Amitabh Chaudhary sparred over e-mails with regards to the board's first-ever e-auction for the media rights (broadcast and digitals) of India's international matches at home for the next period of five years.

Secretary Chaudhary in his mail (copy with PTI) wrote: "Considering this is the first BCCI experience with an e-auction we should have striven to keep the process simple without compromising the objective of deriving the best value for our product.

"In fact, any such process must necessarily ensure not only simplicity of execution and best value but also reduction in the number of variables and consequently a level playing field for all bidders. One expected that with the appointment of a specialized agency these will be ensured," he further wrote.

The former Jharkhand top cop ended: "However, ever since the process began one got the impression that the it was anything but simple and our long winded efforts have been to make the originally designed very complicated e-auction to a less complicated one. This is also borne out by the fact that there have been as many as 322 queries with regard to this assignment of ours."

In another communication, he also questioned Johri whether the new process allowed BCCI to "squeeze in a series or two" or "ensure premium value" when India plays against top Test playing nations.

Johri on his part clarified that Chaudhary's assertion of 322 queries is completely wrong and the e-auction process has been modified to keep it simple for the bidders.

"Individual workshops have been conducted with Bidders to explain the process as well as conduct a demonstration of the e-auction portal. Based onBidders' feedback, the process has even been further modified with a view to making it simpler including by removing the concept of net present value," Johri wrote back.

On the value of home series and opposition, Johri clarified that Rights Payable by successful bidder is independent of the stature of visiting team is.

"I must also clarify that the new process does not, in any manner, compromise on BCCI's liberty to change the schedule of matches including by adding, reducing or modifying the series currently envisaged.

"The ability of BCCI to choose the visiting team for each home series remains unaffected because the Rights Fee payable by the successful Bidder to BCCI does not depend upon who the visiting team is. This position has been carried forward from earlier Media Rights Agreements signed in 2009 and 2012 with Nimbus and Star respectively."