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| Thursday, 22 January 2004 |
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SLC nets in India to make TV offers attractive by Sa'adi Thawfeeq Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) will put forward fresh bids to sell television and broadcasting rights to cover international cricket matches at home having successfully negotiated two tours to the country by India. India's absence for tours to Sri Lanka, saw SLC's bid to sell the television rights for the next three years fall far short of the expected values. Of the five television companies that responded only three - Taj Television, WSG Nimbus and TWI met the deadline set by SLC, while Sony and PCM Sports requested for more time. However the figures offered by the first three companies were not to the satisfaction of SLC. "The biggest drawback was that we did not have any tours by India. India is a money-spinner and television companies show interest only if they are part of the itinerary," said SLC secretary Mohan de Silva. "The international tours we have scheduled here are not so attractive with only South Africa and West Indies due till 2006," he said. De Silva said that on a recent visit to Calcutta for the Asian Cricket Council meeting with president Thilanga Sumathipala, they were able to negotiate with the Indian Cricket Board to make two tours to Sri Lanka. India are due to come here in 2005 and play in a one-day triangular with Sri Lanka and West Indies and in 2006 for another one-day triangular with Sri Lanka and South Africa. "With India's participation we are hopeful we can sell the television rights for the expected values," said De Silva. De Silva however did not state when fresh bids will called for again. In the meantime, SLC have given the international television and broadcasting rights for next month's tour here by Australia to Taj Television, who also covered the England tour in November-December. De Silva also revealed that Sri Lanka who are overdue for a tour to India is scheduled to participate in a one-day triangular there with the host nation and Bangladesh in April-May 2005 and for a Test tour in November-December the same year. |
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