Disney Star pushes for $100 Million discount in $3 Billion deal with the ICC: Report

Disney Star is pushing hard to renegotiate and potentially gain a discount in its massive $3 billion deal with the International Cricket Council (ICC), which was sealed in August 2022. This hefty contract, which began with the recent T20 World Cup 2024 held in the US and the West Indies is now under intense scrutiny from the broadcaster Disney Star.

The renegotiation demand comes as a key moment for the incoming ICC chairman, who could be the current BCCI secretary Shah. Should Shah step into the role, this high-stakes issue will loom large over his agenda in the next ICC meeting in Dubai.

A Cricbuzz report claimed that Disney Star's request for a review of the deal is not merely about negotiating discounts for the World Cup but addresses broader concerns regarding the overall valuation of the championship.

Disney Star seeks urgent relief from ICC, citing losses in T20 World Cup 2024

As the Disney Star seeks immediate relief, the pressure mounts on the International Cricket Council to navigate this challenging situation regarding the broadcasting deals.

The report further claimed that Star submitted two formal requests to the International Cricket Council, which ICC officials discussed at last month's Annual Conference in Colombo.

However, outgoing chairman Greg Barclay addressed the issue with ICC officials, but the decision-making body will determine the final resolution.

Meanwhile, the broadcaster is reportedly seeking a discount of over $100 million from the 2024 T20 World Cup deal, primarily due to the cancellation of the highly anticipated India-Canada match in Florida on June 15.

Given the high value of India’s T20 World Cup 2024 fixtures, Star claims to have incurred significant losses from the abandonment of this match. While other matches, including England vs Scotland, USA vs Ireland, and Sri Lanka vs Nepal, were also affected by weather issues, Star has notably focused on the India-Canada game.

Well, the broadcast agreements don’t have refund provisions, so the challenge now is how effectively Star can negotiate this claim with the ICC. Meanwhile, Star has also highlighted concerns regarding the 2024 T20 World Cup semifinal between Afghanistan and South Africa at Tarouba.

Star raises concerns over 2024 T20 World Cup marketing

In that match, Afghanistan was dismissed for just 56 runs in 11.5 overs, with South Africa completing the chase in under nine overs on June 26. This one-sided contest didn’t meet the excitement typically expected from a World Cup semifinal, and the ICC subsequently deemed the pitch at the Brian Lara Academy as unsatisfactory, which boosted the broadcaster’s confidence.

Additional issues raised by Star include the 2024 T20 World Cup’s marketing strategies, the scheduling of matches in the US, and the low-scoring outcome of the high-profile India-Pakistan game.

However, Star has opted not to elaborate on these concerns. Both a Star spokesperson and the ICC, adhering to policy, have decided not to comment on the commercial aspects of the situation.

Notably, the overall run rate for the 2024 T20 World Cup was 7.09, which is the lowest in the tournament's history. This figure has dropped from the previous record low of 7.43, set during the 2021 edition in the UAE.