Punjab Kings sees 20–30% media rights rise

Punjab Kings co-owner Mohit Burman said this week that a 20% to 30% increase in the Indian Premier League’s next media-rights cycle would “not be surprising,” as franchise values rise and digital viewing expands in India. Burman made the comments in an interview published on May 18, with the league still in its current 2023-2027 rights term. The present cycle was sold for 48,390 crore rupees, with television and digital rights split between different buyers in the 2022 auction. IPL chairman Arun Dhumal separately said he hopes the league secures a bigger window in the International Cricket Council calendar from 2027, a step he linked to future expansion. ### Why is Mohit Burman talking about the next rights cycle now? Mohit Burman said the latest jump in franchise valuations has strengthened the IPL’s standing among major global sports leagues and could feed through to the next media deal. In the May 18 interview, he cited stronger audience engagement and growing digital consumption as reasons rights pricing could move higher in India. (bestmediainfo.com) MSN’s pickup of the interview said Burman also linked his view to recent winning bids for IPL franchises worth billions of dollars. That framing matched his argument that team values and league media values are moving together. ### What is the benchmark for any increase? The Board of Control for Cricket in India sold IPL media rights for 2023-2027 for 48,390 crore rupees in June 2022. (bestmediainfo.com) That package made the IPL one of the world’s richest sports properties by per-match value, with Star retaining domestic television rights and Viacom18 taking the digital package for the Indian subcontinent and key overseas markets. (msn.com) A 20% rise on 48,390 crore rupees would imply a package of about 58,068 crore rupees, while a 30% rise would imply roughly 62,907 crore rupees. Those figures are based on Burman’s range and the value of the current cycle. ### What does Arun Dhumal say has to happen first? (sportspro.com) Arun Dhumal said on May 19 that he is hopeful of getting a bigger IPL window in the ICC’s next cycle from 2027. In his interview with the Times of India, he said the next five-year media-rights package should go “higher for sure.” (bestmediainfo.com) News18 reported on May 18 that Dhumal said the BCCI wants to expand the IPL from 74 matches to 94 matches in the next media-rights cycle, restoring a full home-and-away format for all 10 franchises. He said that plan depends on securing a larger slot in the future tours programme. (timesofindia.indiatimes.com) ### How does a bigger window connect to rights pricing? A 94-match season would create more live inventory for broadcasters and streaming platforms than the current structure. Dhumal said the expansion would be tied to the next rights cycle, linking scheduling directly to the commercial package that will be sold after 2027. (news18.com) The current season already reflects that push for scale. Industry material published this year described the 2026 tournament as an 84-match season running from March 26 to May 31, with digital and television inventory marketed as a premium advertising window. ### What happens next in the rights story? The next concrete milestone is the ICC calendar from 2027, which Dhumal said could determine whether the IPL gets a bigger window and moves toward a 94-match format. (news18.com) The current rights cycle runs through 2027, so any formal auction process would come after that package expires. Burman’s comments on May 18 and Dhumal’s remarks on May 19 set out the two variables now in view: price growth and schedule expansion. (themediaant.com) (bestmediainfo.com)