Regarding the television broadcast rights to ICC cricket events in India, Zee Entertainment Enterprises (ZEEL) and Star India (Disney Star) are embroiled in a legal battle.
The origins of this legal drama may be found in August 2022, when ZEEL and Star India signed an agreement to sublicense the TV broadcasting rights of ICC Men’s and Under-19 international matches for the years 2024–2027. This was a promising partnership that is currently embroiled in dispute.
Citing errors in obtaining required permissions from the International Cricket Council (ICC), completing crucial paperwork, and generally not adhering to the terms of the agreement, ZEEL has claimed that Star India breached its part of the agreement.
With ZEEL claiming that the agreement has been broken and is repudiated, they are requesting a substantial reimbursement of INR 68.54 crore. The stakes are very high.
The disagreement has substantial financial repercussions. Bank guarantee commissions and interest costs associated with the disastrous purchase have already cost zero INR 72.14 crore.
Star India has sued ZEEL for unpaid rights payments of INR 1,693.42 crore as well as an extra INR 17 crore for interest on deposits and bank guarantees. ZEEL, however, has argued that the sub-licensing deal is now void due to Star India’s violations and non-compliance.
In spite of Star’s assertion, ZEEL maintains its position, angrily disputing the allegations and stating that it has “strong and valid grounds to defend any claims.” ZEEL has responded by terminating the arrangement and demanding the recovery of INR 68.54 crore, which has already been paid out.
The implications of this conflict go beyond the boardroom, as Indian spectators could be forced to miss important ICC competitions, such as the next Cricket World Cup and T20 World Cup, if the disagreement is not settled. The outcome of the legal battle between the two sides will decide what happens to the TV broadcast rights to these elite cricket competitions in India.
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