Whalesbook
Asal mein, FIFA ne 2026 aur 2030 World Cup ke rights ko bundle karke bechne ki planning ki hai aur woh $35 million se zyada maang rahe hain. Lekin India mein jo players hain, jaise JioStar (Reliance aur Disney ka joint venture), woh log sirf $20 million ke aas paas offer kar rahe hain. Socho, 2022 ke rights ke liye toh $60 million diye gaye the, yeh toh seedha $40 million ka difference ho gaya! Sony ne toh bol diya hai ki 'bhai, hamare liye economics fit nahi baith raha'.
Ab yeh jo gap hai na, yeh India ke media market ki current reality dikhata hai. Pehle jaisa fast growth ab nahi hai, companies ab profit par zyada focus kar rahi hain. Upar se ad market bhi thoda slow hai. Aur ek badi problem hai real-money gaming ads par lagi ban, jisse saal ka ₹4,500 crore (ya $540 million) ad spending kam ho jayega. Yeh sab cheezein sports rights ko kharidne mein risk badha rahi hain. Yeh halaat hai ki Sony India ka profit bhi 6% gir gaya, revenue badhne ke bawajood.
Aur haan, football ke India mein 305 million fans hain, yeh galat nahi hai. Lekin advertisers ke liye toh cricket hi sab kuch hai. Sports economy ka 89% revenue toh cricket se hi aata hai. Cricket ko advertisers bahut zyada value dete hain, football abhi bhi unke liye niche hi hai. Plus, 2026 World Cup ke matches India mein raat bahut late honge, jisse prime time ads ka opportunity kam ho jayega. Knockout matches bhi cricket ke busy schedule se compete karenge.
Ek aur reason hai media companies ka consolidation. Reliance ki Viacom18 aur Disney ki Star India ab milkar JioStar ban gayi hai. Ab market mein kam bade players hain, jisse FIFA ka bargaining power kam ho gaya hai. Yeh JioStar khud $28 million ka loss report kar rahi hai Q1 FY26 mein, toh woh obviously paise soch samajh kar hi kharch karenge.
FIFA ke liye risk yeh hai ki India mein large digital viewership ka matlab automatic high ad revenue nahi hai, especially jab cricket ka commercial value itna zyada ho. Late-night matches aur gaming ads ki ban bhi advertising ko mushkil bana rahe hain. Agar FIFA ko India mein koi broadcast partner nahi mila, toh unki emerging markets ko lekar strategy par bhi sawaal uthenge. Ek Delhi High Court mein petition hai ki tournament TV par dikhaaya jaye, par yeh FIFA ke liye koi paisa nahi layega.
Toh abhi lagta hai FIFA ko apne price expectations kam karne padenge. India mein sports media ka business model change ho raha hai. Broadcasters ab profit ke liye zyada focused hain aur terms decide kar rahe hain. Dekhte hain kya hota hai, par yeh deal FIFA ke liye ek big lesson zarur hogi.