PSL 9 TV Production to Cost Rs. 1.15 Billion

With just 16 days to go until the start of Pakistan Super League (PSL) season 9, there’s already a dispute brewing due to the delayed granting of TV production rights.

In this process, 60% of the marks were allocated to the technical evaluation, while the remaining 40% were based on the financial bids submitted. The company that initially held the broadcast rights was disqualified during the technical evaluation, leaving only two companies in contention.

According to sources, all three companies expressed a lack of trust in the marking process and appealed to the Grievance Committee for resolution. Acting Chairman Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB), Shah Khawar, successfully mediated and resolved the issue.

Following the hearing, adjustments were made to the scores for all parties involved, and the previously disqualified company was reconsidered.

Subsequently, emphasis was placed on the company that ranked second in the financial bid evaluation rather than the one with the lowest financial offer.

Furthermore, the company that had initially qualified based on its technical evaluation fell behind, increasing to nearly Rs. 50 million in the production cost. This year’s production expenses are estimated to reach Rs. 1.15 billion, with next year’s anticipated amount being Rs. 1.21 billion. It’s important to note that 95% of these costs will be covered by the franchises.

Sources have also revealed that objections regarding the bidding process had been raised by both parties right from the beginning, with formal complaints submitted to the committee. Additionally, the top-ranked company raised questions about the oversight provided by Director Commercial Babar Hamid’s bid committee.

On the other hand, PCB asserts that they followed the agreed-upon procedure, considering both technical and financial aspects when determining the overall marks.

It is pertinent to note that the production cost for the previous year’s PSL amounted to Rs. 1.169 billion, with 95% of the expenses covered by the franchises and the remaining 5% by PCB.

Meanwhile, the ninth edition of the PSL is set to kick off on February 17th at Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore and the tournament will run until March 18th.