Mumbai: The India-Australia showdown is turning on the heat not only among the cricket councils. The impact of a possible suspension of the series is spilling over to the broadcasters and sponsors with as much as Rs 150 crore riding on it.
When contacted, R C Venkateish, Managing Director, ESPN Software said, "This matter is related to the ICC and the two concerned cricket boards - hence we would not like to comment on it."
With the Third Test scheduled to start on the January 16, most advertisers and media planners have taken a wait and watch stance. But with the huge amount of mooolah riding on the series, everyone is expecting an amicable resolution to the current controversy.
Among the major sponsors are Maruti, Motorola, Airtel, Coca-Cola, Perfetti and TVS. But there’s a googly too - media planners say if the Third Test goes ahead as scheduled, there could be a hike in ad rates, all thanks to the heightened interest.
The current price of a 10-second ad sold by ESPN-Star Sports for Test matches is Rs 50,000. It could go up to Rs 75,000.
If the worst fears come true and the tour is indeed called off, advertisers are not losing sleep. Ad revenue will be diverted to general entertainment channels.
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