Left with less than 24 hours to begin the bidding process for media rights distribution, the International Cricket Council (ICC) received a letter to cancel the media rights bidding process. The ICC initiated for Invitation to Tender (ITT) for media rights in the month of June.

As part of that, the first stage has begun with various media agencies looking to vie their existing options. However, the process is not going on a smooth note.

The bidding process, which began to cover the next cycle of ICC events starting in 2024, is in jeopardy, now, as global audit firm PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) departed from the bidding process.

The PwC, which was associated with ICC as a regular process auditor, resigned from taking up the job anymore. This development led to an internal protest among the bidders’ group calling an end to the conduct of media rights auction.

In a letter to the International Cricket Council (ICC), Viacom18 expressed its displeasure over the resignation of PwC from the ongoing ICC media rights process.

In the letter addressed by Viacom18 Sports CEO Anil Jayaraj, the apex body was asked for the immediate cancellation of first-stage closed bidding process, while demanding to adapt an e-auction process as a whole.

In the letter sent to the ICC on Wednesday evening , Jayaraj wrote, “At the outset, we are surprised at this development and the manner in which ICC has handled the same. ICC has chosen to vaguely communicate PwC’s resignation to the bidders by carrying out changes to the process document, without any formal explanation. The least that one expects is that the process for auction of a global event that has the attention of so many people who love the sport be undertaken in a fair and transparent manner.”

He further wrote, we would request ICC to immediately confirm if PwC will be involved in the process going forward and if not, the firm that will replace PwC.

“We also request ICC to provide the reasons that led to this development. PWC opting out of bid process at this late stage, only re-affirms the material concerns that we have had all along on the auction process and have raised it with the ICC on several occasion in the last few days. These developments are casting a cloud over the entire bid process which should be avoided,” he said.

He further mentions, “We are again requesting the IBC/ICC to take strong steps to safeguard the sanctity of the entire process. Specifically, in the interests of complete transparency and fairness, we request IBC to immediately cancel the currently envisaged closed bidding process for first stage and adopt an e-auction process in entirety.”

“The above development has dismayed us so much that in the absence of such transparency as requested, we may be forced to revisit our participation in the process. We strongly urge IBC/ICC to consider the above and adopt e-auction as the sole process for the current bid.”

According to the bidding process, the technical bids have to be submitted to the ICC by August 22, while the financial bids have to be sent to the governing body on August 26.