New Delhi, March 24 (NationPress) Former Indian Premier League (IPL) chief Lalit Modi has presented an ambitious strategy for the league's upcoming media rights cycle, calling on decision-makers to abandon bulk agreements and instead "package their rights individually, categorized by various media types."

With the current rights cycle set to conclude in 2027, Modi foresees the IPL going to market as early as the first quarter of that year. He advocates for the IPL to adopt a strategy similar to that of the English Premier League (EPL) and increasingly Formula 1.

"They need to initiate the market process prior to the 2028 season, but ideally, I believe they will start marketing early next year, likely in the first quarter of 2027. In my opinion, they should package their rights individually, by various media types such as OTT, digital, satellite television, terrestrial television, mobile rights, or on a global basis, country by country," Modi stated.

"I think they should promote them individually, similar to what the EPL is currently doing and what Formula 1 is about to do. I believe anyone involved in broadcasting or mobile services should be considering entering bids," he added.

By promoting rights separately across diverse platforms and regions, Modi believes the league can draw a broader range of bidders beyond conventional broadcasters. He anticipates a significant influx of technology giants and global streaming services into the bidding process, pinpointing Netflix, Meta, and Apple as strong contenders alongside Amazon.

"Every satellite company distributing television content should be eyeing this opportunity. I see all companies, whether it’s Netflix, Meta, or Apple, along with newer entrants like Bean, looking to expand their reach," he mentioned.

"Of course, ESPN and Starsports are in the mix, and I wouldn't discount Sony making a comeback, but there may be other media players also interested without a doubt," Modi added.

Reflecting on the league's remarkable expansion, Modi reminisced about the modest beginnings of the first media rights deal, which was valued at around 4 crore rupees per game. In just the second year, that figure surged to 10 crore rupees.

"When I initiated the first media rights deal, it was valued at approximately 4 crore rupees per game. By the second year, that value climbed to about 10 crore rupees. I predicted in 2010 that I saw every media cycle doubling in value.

"If you look at the current landscape, from 4 crore rupees to nearly 118 crore rupees today, the media rights have indeed doubled consistently. Therefore, for the next cycle, I expect at least a 70 to 100 percent increase in value," he concluded.