“Not only will we be able to develop India’s most successful streaming firm, we will also be able to build India’s most profitable digital media and entertainment brand,” Anil Jayaraj, Viacom18’s CEO-Sports, wrote in an email to his employees.
afaqs! has a copy of the email he sent to his workers after Viacom18 won the unified bid for the Indian Premier League’s digital rights (2023-2027).
The following is the complete text of the email:
Greetings, Viacom18 Team!
I’m writing this email with a sense of pride and anticipation. For the seasons 2023 through 2027, Viacom18 has secured the exclusive rights to digitally stream Indian Premier League (IPL) matches in the Indian subcontinent. This also includes the 18-game special digital package. Viacom18 has gained television and digital rights in three of the five foreign regions, including Asia, Canada, Australia, the Caribbean Islands, Israel, New Zealand, South Africa and Sub-Saharan Africa, and the United Kingdom and Europe. In the above packages, we successfully outbid the incumbents and everyone else.
Our company’s commitment to create world-class digital platforms of the future is reflected in our focus on bidding for digital rights in its entirety. Our partnership with Jio provides us with unrivalled access and reach to the entire Indian population. We will not only be able to construct India’s most successful streaming firm, but we will also be able to build India’s most profitable digital media and entertainment brand, thanks to our other businesses.
We only started our sports venture ten months ago, but in that time we’ve managed to secure a number of high-profile rights, including football (FIFA World Cup, La Liga, Serie A, and Ligue1), badminton, tennis, and the NBA. We’ve secured the blockbuster and most high-profile cricket rights for our digital platforms and viewers around the world with the IPL. Viacom18 will use this acquisition to bring India’s most popular sporting event, the IPL, to every corner of the country and make it available to every Indian customer, something that television has failed to do.
I’d like to express my gratitude to everyone on the Viacom18 team for their unshakable faith and support in us as we took this great step. As we move forward in our development, I look forward to your unwavering support as we strive to become the most sought-after sports network in the country.
I’d want to leave you with these simple yet powerful words from former Los Angeles Lakers coach Phil Jackson: “The team’s strength is each individual member.” The team is the power of each individual.”
Once again, congratulations on this historic occasion as we ramp up our efforts to create tomorrow’s media and entertainment platforms.
Sincere greetings,
CEO of Sports, Anil Jayaraj
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