They have asked ICC for reasons that led to PwC’s exit and pointed out that the development only “re-affirms” the material concerns that the broadcasters have had all along in the auction process. However, a source close to the ICC board told ET that PwC is still providing ICC support. “Bids are going ahead as planned tomorrow [Friday]. There is independent oversight. No changes to any of that. They were supposed to take financial bids on Monday and hold them securely. We moved the financial bid submission to Friday, so that role doesn’t exist anymore.” But the broadcasters are not happy.
“They have created a mess of the whole media rights auction,” a top executive at one of the networks told ET. “We have written to them once again, but it seems there is not going to be any solution. The exit of the process auditor in the middle of the process is a major red flag, but the ICC is being very callous about it.”
Two of the broadcasters have asked the ICC once again to junk the closed bidding process and opt only for e-auction, while the remaining two have requested the world cricket governing body to consider either of the two processes – closed bidding or e-auctions.
“The hybrid structure they have talked about – round 2 e-auction – in case of less than the benchmark value and less than 10% of difference in the two bids, is a sham. We have been asking for an e-auction, which they should have agreed to long back. Now, we all are here without any option,” said the head of the second network.
Anil Jayaraj, CEO, Sports at Viacom18, wrote in his letter to ICC that his company is surprised at this development and the way ICC has handled the same.
“ICC has chosen to vaguely communicate PwC’s resignation to the bidders by carrying out changes to the process document, without any formal explanation,” Jayaraj wrote in the letter.
“The least that one expects is that the process for auction of a global event that has the attention of so many people who love the sport be undertaken in a fair and transparent manner. We would request ICC to immediately confirm if PwC will be involved in the process going forward and if not, the firm that will replace PwC. We also request ICC to provide the reasons that led to this development.” Jayaraj, who is present in Dubai, has further requested the ICC to take “strong steps” to “safeguard the sanctity” of the entire process.
“In the interests of complete transparency and fairness, we request IBC (ICC Business Corporation, the commercial subsidiary of ICC) to immediately cancel the currently envisaged closed bidding process for first stage and adopt an e-auction process in entirety. The above development has dismayed us so much that in the absence of such transparency as requested, we may be forced to revisit our participation in the process.” However, other broadcasters, it is learned, have not decided on boycotting the auctions on August 26.
