Ask Krishnamacharri Srikkanth about the selection committee meeting date and the almost certain answer could be: “Don’t ask such controversial questions. Ask the BCCI.”
Whether or not that is a controversial question, is a matter of debate but the chief selector can score full points for maintaining the confidentiality that is required of his job. That is, however, a different issue.
What, however, is the key issue is that Srikkanth’s committee has met most number of times in the last 12 months. A few other committees, like Museum committee, tours and fixtures committee have either met once or not met at all. The most important committee that has not met at all in the last one year is the marketing.
Known as the most high profile panel in the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), the marketing committee has some big names — like Vijay Mallya, Farooq Abdullah, Lalit Modi, Niranjan Shah — and it is headed by the most powerful man in the BCCI — Sharad Pawar. With the domestic media rights coming up for sale in just over six months, the marketing committee has a lot in its hand — particularly in the context of the debate over the relevance of the 50-50.
With ODIs falling in the popularity chart and the ICC not allowing too many Twenty20 internationals in a year, the marketing committee has a challenge. At one stage it was perceived that the Board’s the rights for the next four years could go for a billion dollars.
“BCCI domestic rights is a hot property but we have not got any presentation from them,” Manu Sawhney, MD, ESPN Star Sports, said. The committee also needs to take decisions on the contracts with Nike and Sahara, sponsors of the Indian team.
But a top Board official said there was no need for the marketing committee to meet. “It used to meet in regular intervals earlier because the meeting were necessary. There has not been any requirement for the committee to meet lately. Every thing has been marketed. The committee will meet soon to evolve strategy on how to sell the rights in 2010.”
Lalit Modi, the man responsible for bringing high market value to the property, could not be reached for comment.
