Olympics: The inclusion of Cricket into Olympics might be a major transformation for sports broadcasting in India. As per Mint, the addition of cricket to the Olympics might considerably improve the value of Olympic broadcast rights in the country.
Cricket which is the favourite sport in India might be a part of Los Angeles Olympics 2028, claims media reports. However, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) has to approve the proposal sent by the LA organising committee. IOC will deliberate on the matter during its executive board meeting scheduled in Mumbai on October 14-15
The current olympic broadcast rights in India are estimated at £15.6 million ( ₹159 crore) for the Paris 2024 Olympics, the value might witness a tenfold jump, possibly exceeding a stunning £150 million ( ₹1,527 crore) when Cricket is added to it, The Guardian said.
This tenfold jump is estimated due to cricket's massive appeal in India. Cricket was last seen in the 1900 Olympics with only one match between England and France. However, this time the popular T20 format for both men and women could be expected.
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The LA committee has along with cricket has proposed has the inclusion of other sports like baseball/softball, flag football, lacrosse and squash. The ICC has expressed its delight on LA committee's proposal to add cricket.
“We are delighted that LA28 have recommended cricket for inclusion in the Olympics. While this is not the final decision, it is a very significant landmark towards seeing cricket at the Olympics for the first time in more than a century,"ICC president Greg Barclay told The Guardian.