Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) is facing a problem that goes beyond finding a television or digital partner. Its latest media-rights attempt shows how difficult the market has become for Bangladesh cricket, with fewer buyers, weaker advertising demand, and an important India series no longer available to lift the value of the package.
The BCB issued a fresh Expression of Interest (EOI) on September 6 for worldwide media rights to Bangladesh’s upcoming two-Test home series against the West Indies. It was the board’s second rights invitation in two months.
Why the first media rights package failed
The first EOI, issued on July 1, covered four home assignments in the 2026-27 season: India’s proposed six-match white-ball tour in 2026, two Tests against the West Indies, two Tests against England in 2027 and five ODIs against Pakistan in 2027.
The India series was the main attraction. A package containing six matches against India had a much better chance of drawing interest because India remains the biggest commercial pull in international cricket.
Interest emerged, including from a foreign broadcaster. But the India series did not take place as planned. Once that part of the package disappeared, its commercial value changed sharply. The interested parties eventually stepped away, leaving the BCB with little choice but to restart the process.
This time, the board is offering only the West Indies Tests. That is a far smaller proposition for broadcasters, especially at a time when advertising revenue is under pressure.
The bigger financial problem for BCB
The issue is not limited to one failed tender. Broadcast rights are one of the BCB’s three major income sources, along with ticket sales and commercial rights. A weak media deal therefore affects the board’s wider finances.
According to financial documents reviewed by The Daily Star, the BCB recorded losses in seven of the nine home series played between the 2022-23 and 2024-25 seasons.
Only two series in that period made a profit: England’s 2023 tour produced Tk 15.57 crore, while India’s 2022 tour generated Tk 67.30 crore. By comparison, Bangladesh’s 2023 home series against New Zealand recorded a loss of Tk 10.40 crore, while the 2024 South Africa series lost Tk 10.89 crore.
The problem reportedly continued in 2025-26, when the board did not make a profit from hosting Pakistan twice, Australia, and New Zealand in white-ball series.
Why India matters so much
The failed package also explains why India was so important to the BCB’s plans. The board had tried to bundle the more attractive India fixtures with other series. That can spread production and operational costs across a larger package while giving broadcasters a stronger reason to bid.
BCB media committee chairman Asif Rabbani said the India series was included because interest in it was high, making the combined package more valuable.
The new West Indies deal does not offer the same advantage. A standalone two-Test series has a smaller commercial market, and the BCB is now focusing more on covering operational costs than making a significant profit.
Production costs add to the pressure
Broadcasting a cricket series is expensive. Television production, technical crews, transmission, equipment, and other match-day services all have to be paid for before the board can think about profit.
That becomes a bigger problem when broadcasters are unwilling to pay a strong rights fee. The BCB can either accept a lower return, find another way to show the matches, or risk leaving the series without a commercial broadcast deal.
There is already a recent example. In 2024, the BCB could not sell the broadcast rights for Bangladesh’s two-Test series against Zimbabwe. The board eventually provided the live feed to Bangladesh Television, allowing the matches to be shown free of charge.
What the BCB needs next
The board’s media rights problem is linked to the wider cricket economy. Advertising markets move up and down, broadcasters have more content choices than before, and not every international series can command a premium price.
For the BCB, bundling remains a practical option when it has a strong series such as India available. But that strategy becomes difficult when schedules change, or a major tour is postponed.
The board has indicated that it may review its operating model after its production contract with Real Impact ends in May 2027. That review could be important because the current market is putting pressure on both rights income and production costs.
For now, the immediate task is simple: find a buyer for the West Indies Tests and limit the financial damage. But the larger lesson is harder to ignore. Bangladesh cricket cannot depend on India series alone to make its broadcast packages attractive. The BCB will need a more sustainable rights strategy if it wants its home cricket to remain financially healthy.
