MUMBAI: Relenting under pressure from the country?s sports ministry, the Sri Lankan cricket board (SLC) has called bids for commercial rights for international matches played in the island nation.

The tender includes rights for international television broadcasting, radio broadcasting, internet, wireless mobile besides on-ground and title rights.

The SLC has also floated a separate tender for television production of international matches in Sri Lanka. Like the media rights, the international TV production is also for a period of seven years from 2013 through to 2020.

The closing date for submitting both bids is 16 March at 2 pm local time.

Unlike the previous four-year cycle, the commercial rights will be granted for a period of seven years. The floor price of the rights have not been disclosed.

According to local media reports there is a dispute going between SLC and the country?s Sports Ministry about how to award the commercial media rights.

SLC president Upali Dharmadasa has said that the agreement with Ten Sports has a clause where SLC has to negotiate with the broadcaster. If talks fail, then SLC can go for a tender; even then Ten Sports has the right to match the highest bid.

Zeel-owned Taj Television is the incumbent broadcast rights holder. In 2009, the company had retained the rights for four more years after much legal wrangling by forking out $65 million.

Only one India tour can put pressure on value of property

The SLC seven-year cycle features only one India tour which means that the value of the commercial rights is likely to see a drop as sports broadcasters recoup most of their investments through India matches.

In the new seven-year cycle, India will tour Sri Lanka in July-August, 2017 involving three Tests, five ODIs and two T20s unless the SLC and BCCI agree to play more than once.

The previous rights cycle had two India tours.

Madison bids for shirt sponsorship rights

SLC, which had recently floated tenders for shirt sponsorship rights, got four bids from India?s leading media and marketing agency Madison Media, Sri Lankan telecom operator Dialog Axiata, Sri Lanka Tea Board, and sports marketing agency Total Sports Asia (TSA).

Two bids were in excess of Rs 2 billion, the SLC said.

SLC had called for tenders from interested parties to appoint the new team sponsor for the Men?s and Women?s national team for a period of three years starting from June 2013.

The new team sponsor will be announced after evaluation and approval from SLC?s Sponsorship and Executive Committee.