BCCI has changed the timing of IPL 2023 matches to be held in the next season. Till now the matches used to start at 3.30 in the day. The matches played till late evening used to start from 7.30 pm. But due to the new timing, BCCI has changed it.
According to the Cricbuzz report, the BCCI has informed the potential broadcaster that in the year 2023, the match under double header will start at 4 pm. During this, the BCCI has also made it clear that the number of double header matches will be reduced. The board gave this information while addressing the interested parties who bought the IPL broadcasting rights.
This will not be the first time in IPL history that matches will start at 4 and 8 pm. In the prior editions, matches have been played at the same timing. If seen in the 10 years of the beginning of IPL, then the matches used to start at 4 o’clock and 8 o’clock. This went on till the time Star Sports did not buy the broadcasting rights.
After Star Sports bought the broadcasting rights of IPL, the broadcaster appealed to the BCCI to change the timings. After which the timing of the matches was changed. Star Sports bought the broadcast rights in 2018 for a period of five years.
The broadcasting rights for the next 5 years (2023-2027) will be auctioned on June 12 after the IPL 2022 ends. More than half a dozen companies have procured the bidding documents for bidding. Star India, Viacom 18, Amazon, Zee, Dream XI, South Africa’s Supersports Channel Group and UK’s Sky Sports are in the race to buy the broadcasting rights. Apart from this, Google has also shown interest in buying IPL broadcasting rights. It has to be seen which company wins in buying IPL broadcasting rights.