PKL media rights tender deadline revised amid legal battle in Delhi HC
As per the new timeline, the deadline to buy the tender document was revised to 24 March from 12 March
Pro Kabaddi League (PKL) has revised the deadline for the media rights e-auction process "as part of creating necessary comfort and confidence for the bidders".
As per the new timeline, the deadline to buy the tender document was revised to 24 March from 12 March. The deadline for submission of bidder documents has been shifted to 12 April from 2 April and the e-auction date has been pushed to 15 April from 5 April.
"This was in response to requests that we received from potential bidder(s). Accordingly, as part of creating necessary comfort and confidence for the bidders, we have revised the deadline to purchase the ITT to 24 March (from 12 Mar), and submission of bidder documents to 12 Apr (from 2 Apr), and e-auction date to 15 Apr (from 5 Apr)," PKL said in a statement.
Meanwhile, former Amateur Kabaddi Federation of India (AKFI) office-bearer KP Rao has filed a petition in Delhi High Court to halt the PKL media rights e-auction. Rao has challenged the partnership between Mashal Sports and AKFI and the former's right to e-auction the media rights of PKL.
"The present petition relates to the affairs of Respondent No. 1 - Amateur Kabaddi Federation of India (hereinafter ‘AKFI’). In the present petition, the contract between AKFI and Respondent No. 6 - M/s Mashal Sports Private Limited has been challenged by the Petitioner," a single-judge bench of Justice Pratibha Singh said in an order on 22nd March.
"It is pointed out by ld. Senior counsel appearing for Respondent No. 6 that an application which has been moved in W.P.(C) 8915/2019 titled K.P. Rao v. Union of India & Ors. would overlap with the reliefs sought in this writ petition which is listed before Justice Sanjeev Sachdeva. Ld. Senior Counsel appearing for the Petitioner submits that primarily, the said writ petition relates to alleged irregularities in the election process of AKFI. However, she has no objection if the matter is listed before the said Bench.'
Since the tender was likely to be finalised on 4th April, the bench, subject to orders of the Chief Justice, listed this matter before Justice Sanjeev Sachdeva on 24th March. The matter was relisted for 8th April since that judge was on leave that day.
As reported earlier, Mashal Sports, the organiser of PKL, has invited bids from reputed third parties of national and international standing for the auction of media rights. The shortlisted and eligible bidders will be allowed to bid for one or more media rights packages through an online c-auction process.
The media rights will be auctioned for five seasons (Season 8 - Season 12) of Pro Kabaddi League to be held during 2021-2025. The organisers have set Rs 900 crore as the base price for the media rights.
PKL media rights comprise of four packages. Package A consists of Global Television Rights; Rest of the World Digital Rights; Sponsorship Rights — On-air and on-ground (including Title Sponsorship); Audio Rights; Film Rights; Fixed Media Rights; Clip Rights; Footage Rights and Public Exhibition Rights. Package A Rightsholder will also have the obligation to produce the World Feed.
Package B consists of India Digital Rights; Mobile Activation Rights; Inflight/On-Board Rights and Virtual Reality Rights. Package C consists of Gaming Rights which includes rights to fantasy sports; gaming, mobile kabaddi simulation; esport, and other kabaddi games. Package D is the Consolidated Rights Package offering all Media Rights offered under Packages A, B, and C.
Bids may be submitted for one or more of the Media Rights Packages as specified in the ITT. The purchase price for ITT is INR 2,50,000 (Rupees Two fifty thousand only) plus taxes for entities incorporated in India and USD 3,500 (United States Dollars Three thousand five hundred only) plus taxes for entities incorporated outside India (non-refundable and non-adjustable).
Interested parties have to register themselves on the Tender Portal, pay the relevant amount(s), and upload relevant documents for downloading and accessing the ITT.
The organisers said that bids will only be accepted from entities that purchase the ITT or from entities within the same group as the entity that purchases the ITT or from a consortium including at least one member that purch.es the ITT. The eligibility of any participant to participate in the auction shall be governed by the ITT and shall be at the sole discretion of Mashal.
