Nepal Television (NTV) has bought television broadcasting rights of all cricket matches to be organized by Cricket Association of Nepal (CAN) for next three years for Rs. 1,200,000.
CAN president Jai Kumar Nath Shah and NTV General Manager Durga Nath Sharma signed a contract in this regard in a press conference in presence of CAN vice-presidents TB Shah and Sriniwas Rana and NTC Deputy General Managers Biswo Prakash Maskey and Madan Kumar Sharma.
According to the agreement, NTV will have the television rights of the all the matches organized in the country some of which it will broadcast live.
“This is a historic day,” Shah said on the occasion. “It’s a matter of happiness that cricket will be broadcasted live.”
“Cricket is gaining popularity,” NTV General Manager Sharma said. “We hope the popularity will grow with our broadcast.” Sharma added NTV has started procedure for buying camera lens required for international quality broadcasting. “I assure you the broadcast will be of international standard.”
NTV signed a similar five-year contract with All Nepal Football Association (ANFA) in April worthing Rs. 500,000 per year.
NTV is a terrestrial plus satellite channel that reaches 65 per cent of Nepali population and 26 countries. “We are soon changing our satellite to ThaiComm which will enable us to broadcast in 46 countries and cover more population in Nepal,” Sharma added.
This is the first time television rights of cricket matches sold.