Rupavahini gets TV broadcasting rights for Australian tour of Sri Lanka

The local TV broadcasting rights for the Australian tour of Sri Lanka has been awarded to Sri Lanka Rupavahini Corporation for a record figure of Rs 22 million. This is the highest bid ever for local TV broadcasting rights received by Sri Lanka Cricket.

Originally, the offer made by Sri Lanka Rupavahini Corporation was for Rs 17 million and the offer received from Carlton Sports Network was Rs 20.1 million.

At this stage, the President and the Sports Minister intervened and wanted Sri Lanka Cricket to award this to Sri Lanka Rupavahini Corporation.

The local radio broadcasting rights have been offered to Sri Lanka Broadcasting Corporation for a sum of Rs 750,000 for the tour, which too is the highest ever amount received for broadcasting rights from Sri Lanka Broadcasting Corporation. Previously it was Rs 150,000.

While the Twenty20 and ODI matches will be called, the LG Abans Sri Lanka vs Australia Series, the Test Series will be called LG Abans Test Series for the Warne-Muralitharan Trophy.

Previously amounts offered by Rupavahini have been:

1 India tour of Sri Lanka - Jan/Feb 2009: 5 ODIs and 1 T20 - Rs 9 million (SLC lost US $ 1.1 million on account of the Rupavahini signal spilling over to India).

2 Pakistan tour of Sri Lanka - July/August 2009: 3 Tests, 5 ODIs and 1 T20 - Rs 13 million.

3 New Zealand tour of Sri Lanka and Triangular Series (SL/NZ/IND) - August/September 2009: 2 Tests vs New Zealand, 4 ODIs and 2 T20s - Rs 12 million.

4 India Tests and Triangular Series (India/NZ/SL) July/Aug 2010: 3 Tests, 7 ODIs - Rs 17 million.

5 West Indies tour of Sri Lanka - Nov/Dec 2010: 3 Tests, 5 ODIs, 1 T20 - Rs 17 million (not paid due to series being interrupted by rain).