Multi-billion Dollar Television and Internet :Google and Sony caught in cricket probe

The multi-billion dollar television and internet broadcasting rights held by Sony and Google for the Indian Premier League, the world's most lucrative cricket tournament, are expected to be investigated as part of a sweeping corruption probe into the competition.

Shashank Manohar, the president of the Board of Control for Cricket in India, announced the investigation yesterday following the suspension of Lalit Modi, the IPL chairman, in a scandal that threatens the credibility of the tournament.

"The alleged acts of individual misdemeanours of Mr Lalit K. Modi, chairman IPL and vice-president BCCI, have brought a bad name to the administration of cricket and the game itself," Mr Manohar said.


Mr Modi has denied any wrongdoing. Google declined to comment. Sony was unavailable for comment but last week denied any irregularities in the deal.

The scandal, which began when Mr Modi accused a government minister of intervening to help a friend during the auction of an IPL team franchise, is the most serious threat to a tournament that has weathered the spectre of terrorist attacks and other obstacles in its brief, three year-life.

Following the shortened Twenty20 version of cricket, the IPL is a runaway success, having generated $4bn (€3bn, £2.6bn) in sponsorship, advertising, team franchise and other deals.

But this month Mr Modi fell out with India's then deputy foreign minister, Shashi Tharoor, accusing him of interfering in an auction of team franchises to support a friend in one of the winning consortiums.

The ruling Congress party asked Mr Tharoor to resign but ordered a sweeping tax department investigation into the IPL and Mr Modi, culminating in his suspension.

Mr Manohar said yesterday the BCCI would examine five issues relating to Mr Modi's leadership of the IPL. These included transactions surrounding the awarding of the television broadcast rights, which were acquired by a division of Sony for $2bn, as well as the internet rights. Any examination of the internet rights would affect Google, which this year negotiated a two-year deal to broadcast the tournament on YouTube for an undisclosed amount.

Mr Manohar said the BCCI would also probe the auction of the original eight IPL teams, particularly the shareholdings of the Rajasthan Royals and Kings XI Punjab.

Another issue related to the "behavioural pattern" of Mr Modi and his alleged leaks to the media.

In a speech that was part swansong, part message of defiance, Mr Modi took to the podium at the IPL final on Sunday to defend his leadership. "Though the events on the ground have been an outstanding success, there have been some off-field unpleasant dramas based on the unknown, half-truths and motivated leaks from all sorts of sources," Mr Modi said. "I assure you the IPL is clean and transparent."