Sports broadcasting is a significant way to promote sports not only in India but worldwide. Different organizations sign several prestigious broadcasting contracts to increase the influence of sports and build a strong sporting nation. The contracts distinguish for every game and are beneficial for the event as well as the broadcasters. Let’s dig into some of the famous sports broadcasting contracts operational in the country. Top-notch sports networks and brands broadcast different games to generate revenue, and advertising contributes significantly to the revenue.
Indian cricket broadcast rights – IPL broadcast rights

The 15-year-old legacy of the Indian Premier League is the world’s largest cricket league that has established a huge fan base not only in India but across the globe. BCCI sold television and broadcasting rights for about three times the value of its former contracts, which were recorded to be $6.2 billion. It has fortified The Indian Premier League’s stature among the most valued sports properties. The contract is thereby divided into two parts, one of which is delegated to the local Disney subsidiary and star sports for regulating television rights for the Indian subcontinent. The second is delegated to Viacom 18, which is a cooperation between India’s Reliance Industries and Paramount for maintaining digital rights. The former rights were sold at $3.02 billion and the latter at $3.05 billion. The contract duration is five years, which will come into play by next year.
There was an intense moment between mega companies for purchasing broadcasting rights and the bidding drew the attention of Sony Pictures Network India, Reliance Industries, and Walt Disney. Over the years, the Indian Premier League has turned fruitful for the world’s renowned players, with million-dollar contracts, making the game a commercial bandwagon. The Indian cricketers are pocketing multimillion-dollar contracts with a surge in viewership streaming on numerous platforms.
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Sports Broadcast and promotion of badminton

Grand Pix Badminton League was inaugurated by Eurosports India in the 2022 session that commenced on 21 August and concluded on 21 August. The broadcasting rights have been acquired by Eurosports India and the 2022 edition of GPBL has already been held in Bengaluru. The head of Eurosport India, Ruchir Jain announced the broadcast partnership and said that “It’s the first time that our top players will be managing a team consisting of budding players and we are very eager to bring that action to the audience in India. GPBL is just a new beginning that is going to go on for a long time and we are glad to be a part of this journey.
Mandya Bulls, Mysore Panthers, Bengaluru Lions, Malnad Falcons, KGF Wolves, Mangalore Sharks, Bundipur Tuskers and Kodagu Tigers were the eight teams that competed in GPBL.
On the other hand, Sony Sports Network purchased the broadcasting rights for two years to televise the Badminton Asia Championship 2022. The two-year broadcast deal will be accountable for the championship session of 2022-2023. The agreement and association have secured exclusive television and digital rights, not just limited to India but spreading across the subcontinent including countries like Afghanistan, Bhutan, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Maldives, Nepal, and Sri Lanka.
Ultimate Kho-Kho sports broadcast rights

For the first time in Indian history, the game of kho kho has pitched in and attained broadcasting rights that have been acquired by Sony Sports Network to telecast the inaugural season of Ultimate Kho Kho to the fans and audience within the comforts of their homes. The game will be streamed in Hindi (Sony Ten 3), English (Sony Ten 1), Tamil, and Telugu (Sony Ten 4) and also on SonyLIV.
The opening season had already kicked off on 14 August in Pune that will conclude with a final clash between the winning teams among the 6 competing teams on 4 September.
The league aims to revolutionise the indigenous sport of kho kho with a contemporary approach to uplift and promote the game across the subcontinent. It is a step towards making India a multi-sport nation.
-- Advertisement --Football broadcast in India
Football has a massive influence on youth as they admire accomplishing great heights in the game. The football broadcast in India is regulated by branded sports networks of Sony India and Star India on OTT platforms and television. The net worth of the Indian sports rights market was estimated to be $1.1 billion in 2019. Digital videos accounted for a 20% share of the sports rights market. However, only 13% of the value of sports rights is represented by non-cricketing sports like Lawn tennis, kabaddi, wrestling, badminton, and football. The sponsorship revenue generated by football takes a distant spot in Indian sports. The television audience, as well as branded sports networks, generate huge profits through advertising and broadcasting.
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List of renowned sports channels in India
Conglomerate | Channels | OTT Platform |
Star India | Star Sports 1 Star Sports 2 Star Sports 3 Star Sports Select 1 Star Sports Select 2 Star Sports First | Disney+Hotstar |
Sony India | Sony Ten 1 Sony Ten 2 Sony Ten 3 Sony Ten 4 | SonyLIV |
Viacom18 | Sports 18 Sports 18 Khel | Voot |
Warner Bros. Discovery Asia Pacific | Eurosport | Discovery+ |
Prasar Bharati | DD Sports | None |
Major Indian Sports Broadcast Contracts
All sports are uplifted and promoted through the broadcasting contracts that make them viable for the audience. There are numerous leagues and events supported by popular brands and broadcast on various platforms. Some famous sports broadcast contracts are associated with basketball, badminton, cricket, golf, hockey, kabaddi, Motorsport, MMA, Pro-wrestling, tennis, and so on. Let’s get into a glimpse of some of these contracts, which are as follows:
Sports | Event | Channel |
Basketball | National Basketball Association | Viacom18 |
EuroLeague | Eurosport India | |
Badminton | BWF World Championships | Star Sports |
Thomas Cup | Viacom18 | |
Uber Cup | Viacom18 | |
BWF World Tour Finals | Star Sports | |
BWF World Tour | Viacom18 | |
Badminton Asia Championships | Sony Pictures Sports Network | |
Golf | Masters Tournament | Star Sports |
U.S. Open | Eurosport India | |
The Open Championship | Eurosport India | |
Hockey | Men’s FIH Hockey World Cup | Star Sports |
Women’s FIH Hockey World Cup | Star Sports | |
Men’s FIH Pro League | Star Sports | |
Women’s FIH Pro League | Star Sports | |
Men’s Asia Cup | Star Sports | |
Men’s Asian Champion Trophy | Star Sports | |
Kabaddi | Pro Kabaddi League | Star Sports |
Motorsport | Formula 1 | Star Sports |
Formula E | Star Sports | |
Moto GP | Eurosport India | |
WTCR | Eurosport India | |
Multi-Sport Events | Summer Olympics | Sony Pictures Sports Network |
Summer Paralympics | Eurosport India | |
Commonwealth Games | Sony Pictures Sports Network | |
Asian Games | Sony Pictures Sports Network | |
World Athletics Championship | Sony Pictures Sports Network | |
Khelo India Youth Games | Star Sports | |
Pro-Wrestling | WWE | Sony Pictures Sports Network |
Tennis | Grand Slam Tournaments | Sony Pictures Sports Network Star Sports |
ATP Tour | Viacom18 Tennis TV Eurosport India Sony Pictures Sports Network Star Sports |
Cricket Broadcasting contracts in India
Cricket has the largest fan base among other games in not only India but across the globe. Several grand tournaments and leagues are organized every year that are sponsored by mega brands. These broadcasting contracts benefit players, brands, and other associations linked through the promotional and streaming rights that are granted to these colossal tournaments. Let us have a glance at the cricket tournaments that empowers and ignites the craze among fans.
Events | Channels and Live streaming |
International Cricket Council: ICC World Test Championship Final Cricket World Cup Cricket World Cup Qualifier ICC Men’s T20 World Cup | Star Sports Disney+Hotstar DD Sports |
Asian Cricket Council Asia Cup | Star Sports Disney+Hotstar DD Sports |
International Cricket in India | Star Sports DD sports |
International Cricket in South Africa | Star Sports DD sports |
International Cricket in Australia International Cricket in England International Cricket in Pakistan International Cricket in Sri Lanka | Sony Pictures Sports Network DD Sports |
International Cricket in New Zealand | Amazon Prime |
International Cricket in West Indies International Cricket in Zimbabwe International Cricket in Bangladesh | FanCode |
Ranji Trophy Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy Vijay Hazare Trophy | Star Sports |
Bihar Cricket League | Eurosport India |
Tamil Nadu Premier League Andhra Pradesh Premier League | Star Sports |
Bengal T20 Challenge | FanCode |