Bezos and Ambani Set to Battle Over $7.7 Billion Cricket Rights
- Billionaires vying for IPL media deal for the first time
- Disney, Sony are other contenders at June 12 India auction
Jeff Bezos and Mukesh Ambani, two of the world’s richest men, are set for another clash. This time the potentially $7.7 billion fight is over the media rights to the Super Bowl of cricket, one of the world’s fastest-growing sporting events with 600 million viewers.
The billionaires’ companies are expected to be the top two contenders at a June 12 Indian Premier League auction, which is likely to lure several bidders for separate, five-year telecasting and online streaming contracts in different geographies. The tycoons are preparing aggressive game plans to ensure a win, according to people familiar with the matter. Other fierce competitors include Walt Disney Co., which held the rights until this year’s just-concluded season, and Sony Group Corp.