India will enjoy prime time broadcast slots for all their T20 World Cup 2024 matches The T20 World Cup schedule reflects the importance of the Indian market while highlighting the wider benefits hosting major tournaments brings to the West Indies and other cricketing nations.
CEO of the West Indies Cricket Board (WICB) Johnny Grave has acknowledged that the schedule prioritises Indian prime time viewing due to the significant revenue generated from the Indian market, report agencies.
If audience are wondering why matches are starting at very different times in the ongoing T20 World Cup 2024, the answer is that the schedule has been planned in a way that can cater to the Indian market.
Some of the matches in the T20 World Cup 2024 are starting as early as 10.30am local time in the West Indies and USA so that they can be broadcast at prime time in India. For example, India's opener against Ireland will start at 8 pm IST in India time but in New York, it will start at 10.30 am local time.
Some matches, however, are also starting at 7.30 or 8.30 pm local time to cater to the local crowd. Due to the time difference, these games are starting at 5 am or 6 am in India time.
The ongoing T20 World Cup, co-hosted by the West Indies and USA, has seen matches scheduled at various times throughout the day. Grave explained, in an interview with the Indian daily newspaper The Indian Express, the logistical challenges of scheduling matches across different time zones during the T20 World Cup.
He emphasised the importance of striking a balance between catering to the large Indian viewership and ensuring some matches are played at a reasonable time for West Indies fans. This has resulted in a mix of early morning and evening matches, aiming to capture audiences in both regions.
"I think everyone accepts that the vast majority of revenues for all ICC events comes from one market. Therefore it is really important that we find a balance between starting matches at prime time in India and for home fans. We have half the matches early for Star Sports and then we have gone as late as possible so they will start early in the morning in India, so they should still get a decent viewership."
"We as hosts can focus on the local fans attending the evening games and the 10:30 morning games will allow us to get school kids to watch some World Cup cricket for free."
He also shared that the West Indies cricket board has decided that no international cricket will be played during major T20 franchise tournaments like IPL or CPL to give the players freedom to compete in T20 leagues.
"Very early on we gave players a guaranteed window every year in their contracts that they could play both the IPL and CPL and assured them we would not play any international cricket in those windows. It is just about trying to get good scheduling and then good open communication with the players to try and find the balance. We respect the fact that players now have a choice so if for whatever reason they want to make themselves unavailable for a tour, then we give them a NOC, but we never hold their place in the West Indies team. So, they have to understand they run the risk of their replacement doing well and then they have to fight to win that place back.
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