Sidhu, Manjrekar slam ICC for profiting from Star Sports Network

These criticisms highlight concerns about pitch preparation and its impact on match viewership and advertiser interest.

Navjot Singh Sidhu and Sanjay Manjrekar have criticized the International Cricket Council (ICC) for the poor pitch conditions during the semi-final between Afghanistan and South Africa in the Men’s T20 World Cup 2024. ICC.

In the match held at the Brian Lara Stadium in Tarouba, Trinidad, Afghanistan were bowled out for just 56 runs in 11.5 overs. South Africa achieved their target in 8.5 overs with the loss of just one wicket.

In his commentary during the match, Manjrekar expressed his concerns saying, “It was a batting nightmare, and Afghanistan paid a heavy price. You cannot prepare an unsuitable pitch for the semi-final. What about broadcasters? They are the ones who take enormous risks by investing large sums in TV rights. The players will come and play, but the broadcast channel does the real deal. They will lose money because there was no competition. the semi-final.”

Sidhu echoed Manjrekar’s sentiments, pointing out that the pitch conditions affected not only the players but also the broadcasters, who invested significantly in the tournament.

Disney Star invested $3 billion in acquiring ICC media rights from 2024 to 2027. The network had licensed its television broadcasting rights to Zee Entertainment. However, due to the failed merger deal with Sony Pictures Networks India, Zee withdrew from the deal.

The Walt Disney Company expects a loss in its streaming business in Q3FY24 due to ICC digital rights, held by Disney+ Hotstar. Hugh Johnston, Walt Disney’s chief financial officer, during its recent earnings conference call, said: “We expect a loss for Entertainment DTC in the third quarter, the vast majority of which is due to Disney+ Hotstar’s ICC cricket rights. »

The criticism highlights concerns over pitch preparation and the impact it has on match viewership and advertiser interest, ultimately having a financial impact on broadcasters.