The fourth edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL) has passed by unseen in Australia and New Zealand, as television channels in both the countries failed to secure the Twenty20 tournament's broadcast rights.
The fourth edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL) has passed by unseen in Australia and New Zealand, as television channels in both the countries failed to secure the Twenty20 tournament's broadcast rights.
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According to Stuff.co.nz, Australian viewers have gone without the IPL because of a dispute between the company that Network Ten bought the rights from, and the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI).
The tournament, which began on April 8 and wraps up next week, had New Zealand's strongest representation of nine players, but no live pay TV coverage for the first time.
New Zealand Sky TV's corporate communications manager, Kirsty Way, however, said that it wasn't through lack of trying with the rights broker.
"Unfortunately we were only approached a week before the first match so we weren't particularly pleased about that. But we certainly put our bid in and we were told it wasn't successful," Way said.
"We've had subsequent discussions with them, even though the tournament had kicked off, but to no avail. We haven't been able to agree a price," she added.
She also described the IPL as having "a dedicated and passionate following" in New Zealand.
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