LAHORE: The upcoming Asia Cup 2025, featuring major cricketing nations including defending champions India and arch-rivals Pakistan, is facing a new hurdle — this time from its official broadcaster, sources have told Dawn.
The obstacle stems from the exorbitant broadcast rights fee set for Pakistan’s market by the tournament’s official broadcaster, which is based in India. Combined with the uncertainty surrounding a potential high-stakes India-Pakistan clash, the inflated pricing may deter all Pakistani sports channels from securing rights to air the event.
Scheduled to be held from September 9 to 28 in the UAE, the tournament was earlier planned in India but was relocated due to political tensions between India and Pakistan, and reportedly, strained ties between India and Bangladesh.
Sources familiar with the negotiations revealed that the Indian broadcaster, which secured Pan-Asia rights in a $170 million deal valid until 2031, is demanding Pakistan pay 25% of the regional broadcasting value — more than double the historical norm of 10-12%.
“According to ICC and ACC guidelines, Pakistan’s regional contribution should be 10-12%, but the current demand is significantly higher,” said a source close to the situation. “This puts Pakistan-based sports channels in a difficult position — either they must form a joint consortium to collectively purchase the rights or step out of the bidding altogether.”
He warned that the Indian broadcaster’s pricing strategy is “over-leveraged” and could potentially destabilize the regional broadcasting market if it fails. “There is no confirmation yet on whether a Pakistan-India match will actually take place, which only adds to the uncertainty,” he added.
Further complicating matters, television ad revenue in Pakistan has dropped over 22% year-on-year, and corporate sponsorships are shrinking — making the Indian broadcaster’s demand look detached from current market realities.
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Interestingly, a Pakistan-based consortium has already acquired the Asia Cup’s digital streaming rights for around $4.3 million, highlighting the stark contrast between the digital and TV rights negotiations.
The stakes are high: if India and Pakistan both reach the final, it would be their third meeting in the tournament — a dream scenario for broadcasters. But sources suggest that pressure on Indian players from fans back home might push the BCCI to withdraw from the event altogether.
One insider said: “Time is running out, and no single Pakistani channel seems ready to meet these inflated prices — especially in a scenario where there’s no India-Pakistan match.”
In similar situations in the past, such as bilateral series involving India, the PCB had to ink conditional broadcast contracts based on whether India would participate. That precedent may now repeat itself.
A Pakistan Television (PTV) official, speaking on condition of anonymity, confirmed the uncertainty surrounding the broadcasting rights. “We are actively negotiating with the official broadcaster to ensure Pakistani fans can watch the Asia Cup live, but the situation remains highly fluid,” the official said.