India women's board stumps up for TV coverage

You could be forgiven for thinking that there would be a bidding war, or even just a bidding discussion, for the rights to screen every live international in India. Just a few months ago, of course, the rival TV companies Prasar Bharati and Zee TV fought for the rights to screen India's one-dayers against Sri Lanka and South Africa. There were tussles, court dramas and a hefty price tag: in the end, the board commanded more than US$1.6million per match from the lucky winners Prasar Bharati.

But when India's women arranged to host England in the Test and five one-dayers, they couldn't even give their series away to the same producers - and their board, the WCAI, actually paid Doordarshan to show the matches. Doordarshan, which is owned by Prasar Bharati, is currently showing the Test on its sport channel and will then screen the ODIs. "We have paid Doordararshan a certain sum to have this series telecast live," the secretary of the Women's Cricket Association of India, Shubhangi Kulkari, told the IANS news agency.

It is believed that the WCAI had little option but to pay a sum (thought to be about US$6,500) to have the matches televised as it would have been hard to find sponsors if the games were not broadcast.

Perhaps the tv companies could take a leaf out of the UK broadcaster BSkyB's books. Sky may have divided opinions over the exclusive deal to show England men's home series until 2009, but their commitment to screening women's cricket goes without question: they have been showing the game for more than ten years on their sports channels. This follows an agreement with the ECB to show all levels of cricket which guarantees at least two live ODIs per year, but in addition Sky promise to give due coverage to other women's games within their magazine programming.