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Zee to decide on fresh bids by September 14

Zee Network, which is involved in a with ESPN-Star Sports over the four-year telecast rights for matches played in India, will decide by September 14, Tuesday, whether it will submit fresh bids

Wisden Cricinfo staff
09-Sep-2004
Zee Network, which was awarded the four-year telecast rights for international matches in India, will decide by September 14 whether it will submit fresh bids. The Mumbai High Court subsequently adjourned its hearing of the case till September 16.
The court had earlier suggested that ESPN-Star Sports (ESS) and Zee Network submit fresh bids. The rights, which will concern international matches played in India between October 2004 and September 2008, were granted to Zee by the BCCI. ESS had gone to court as a result, asserting that Zee was not eligible to bid in the process, as per the conditions outlined in the tender.
The court's suggestion came after BCCI argued that ESS and Zee were equally eligible to take part in the bidding process. Zee's counsel asked if he could be allowed to respond in the afternoon session of the court, after a lunch break.
The two contentious issues are: whether or not Zee is eligible to bid; and whether the BCCI acted unfairly towards ESS by not allowing them to match the amount negotiated with Zee. The court's move towards making the sides bid again may resolve the second of these problems, but it has yet to rule on the first.