MUMBAI: Jaypee Sports International Limited (JPSI) has said it has acquired exclusive TV rights of the FIM Superbike World Championship or WSBK for the Indian round of the championship to be held in March 2013.

The four year contract with Infront Sports & Media, the promoter and organizer of FIM Superbike World Championship, allows JPSI to resell the TV rights of the main race along with the support races in India.

The contract also permits JPSI to resell the non-exclusive TV rights to broadcasters for other non-India WSBK races.

Earlier, JPSI and Infront Motor Sports, the motor sports arm of Infront Sports & Media, had inked an agreement to hold World Superbike Championship at Buddh International Circuit (BIC), the Indian motor racing circuit in Greater Noida near New Delhi, on 9 and 10 March, 2013.

JPSI MD & CEO Sameer Gaur said: "We are delighted with the deal as this will help generate additional revenue apart from sponsorships. After the F1 Indian GP, the popularity of motorsport has increased manifold in India and with WSBK also coming to BIC early next year, it is going to increase further."

Infront Motor Sports CEO Paolo Flammini said, "We are pleased that such a prestigious partner as Jaypee Sports International, which has committed itself to the organisation of the Indian round of the Superbike World Championship from 2013 to 2016, is also directly involved in the administration of the television rights of the championship throughout India. We are certain that this collaboration will bring about a major increase in awareness for World Superbike."

MUMBAI: Infront Motor Sports has signed an agreement with Jaypee Sports International, a subsidiary of the private Indian engineering and construction conglomerate Jaypee Group, to host a round of the FIM Superbike World Championship calendar at the Buddh International Circuit (BIC).

Infront Motor Sports, a subsidiary of Infront Sports & Media, is the owner of the Championship and provides full promotional, marketing, hospitality, sales and broadcasting services to the events. The series is governed by the FIM.

The contract, which runs for four years from 2013 to 2016, is set to open up a new frontier for World Superbike in India as it becomes the first international bike racing championship to be hosted at the Hermann Tilke-designed track at Greater Noida.

The Indian Round of the championship is scheduled to take place on 10 March next season.

Infront Motor Sports CEO Paolo Flammini added, "The inclusion of the Indian round in the 2013 FIM Superbike World Championship calendar represents a great achievement for our series and reflects our continuous target to further extend its international presence. India today is one of the most important motorcycle markets in the world, not only in terms of existing bike sales numbers but also growth and the upgrading of the range offered to the consumer. Undoubtedly the inclusion of this event will greatly benefit all the protagonists of our series and will create significant added value for the motorcycle manufacturers."

India will become the 27th country to host a round of the FIM Superbike World Championship, which in 2013 will celebrate the 26th year of its existence since it started in 1988.

After signing the agreement, JPSI MD and CEO Sameer Gaur said: "We are extremely happy to announce that besides holding the Formula One and FIA GT1 motor racing series, we will also hold a thrilling motorcycle race, the World Superbike Championship, at BIC early next year. There are many in India who are passionate about bikes. I am sure they will love to watch famed motorcycle riders compete against each other here at their own world class racing circuit."