The three-match ODIs between host Ireland and touring Bangladesh are at risk of blackout as no local broadcaster showed interest in buying the media rights for the series, scheduled to be played at England’s Chelmsford on May 9.
The remaining two ties of the series are scheduled for May 12 and 14, but until today, Total Sports Management, a Bangladesh-based sports marketing company, owns the broadcast rights for the series, could not find a buyer for the series.
T-Sports officials told reporters on Thursday that they are unlikely to telecast the series as it does not look viable for them.
‘We are unlikely to telecast the series as the negation between them (TSM) and us did not materialize. The price they are asking is a bit too much, and we cannot telecast the series for that amount,’ Ishtiaq Sadek, the CEO of T Sports, told reporters on Thursday.
An official of Gazi TV said that they have not received any proposals yet from the right owners to broadcast the series, and if they get any offers, they will consider it.
‘We have not got any offers so far; if we get any offers, then we can consider it because, naturally, we want to broadcast games of the national team,' said Md. Salahuddin Chowdhury, executive director of Gazi Group.
This is not the first time there has been a blackout, considering the fact that the West Indies series also had a similar fate, and after the opening Test in Antigua in June 2022, T-Sports decided to telecast the series despite taking a financial loss.
Moinul Haque Chowdhury, the owner of TSM, was unwilling to make any comment in this regard.
Meanwhile, the Bangladesh Cricket Board said that they are regularly keeping in touch with the Ireland Cricket Board and hope that it will be sorted out soon.
'We are discussing with the Ireland Cricket Board and asked them in which territory, but they could not confirm anything yet, and that is the reason they have not informed me anything. We will be able to know as quickly as possible, and if they can settle the matter, we will let you know,' BCB chief executive Nizamuddin Chowdhury told reporters on Thursday.
