Why is Sri Lanka Cricket trying to sign a contract for production rights of international matches played in Sri Lanka for the next three years with a company which has a dubious record and absolutely no financial standing?
The question that begs answers are:
Why wasn’t a minimum financial requirement included as a prerequisite for qualifying to bid, like a minimum net worth requirement and cash bank balances?
Why wasn’t the proforma draft of the performance draft guarantee circulated to potential bidders?
Will this company even be able to provide this performance bond and meet its obligations?
It is learnt that SLC is about to sign with a company based in Dubai - IPG for production rights for a 3-year term.
This company, we learn, has also got into the bad books of the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) after they tried to sabotage the Pakistan Super League by trying to stop crew and equipment from going to Pakistan.
At a minimum, before going ahead and awarding the contract should not SLC ask PCB for a reference in writing?
Furthermore, the owner of IPG is known to have business and personal relationships with persons in Sri Lanka.
Moreover, it is learnt that this company has 20-year-old discontinued and outdated production equipment and owes huge amounts of money to crew/equipment suppliers and graphic companies across the globe.
The SLC perhaps in its bid to accommodate this company has drastically lowered production specifications which are probably a method of making an additional buck for by ordering enhancements to production which are not part of the contract; it will be awarded without a tender.
If SLC sticks to this company, we can expect a steep deterioration in the quality of the picture and badly represents Sri Lanka cricket to international audiences. It will damage the Sri Lankan cricket brand and drive away sponsors and advertisers.
This matter was debated at the ExCo meeting of Tuesday with certain members expressing their serious concerns about this company and individual.
The question that needs to be asked is why SLC which has over the years handed the production, broadcasting and digital rights to one company has decided to split it on this occasion. There is only one realistic answer to this question. Who will benefit the most?
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