According to a report, the BCCI has issued a directive to all commentators, players, IPL owners, and social media and content teams associated with the squads, instructing them not to share any pictures or videos from the stadium on social media platforms during match days.
This decision comes after an incident where a former India cricketer, while commentating during an IPL match, uploaded a picture of himself on social media, which displeased the holders of broadcast rights. As a consequence, he was promptly asked to remove the post by a BCCI representative.
The BCCI has taken stern measures and has communicated to all concerned parties that there will be repercussions for flouting these regulations. The objective is to prevent individuals or teams from gaining undue social media traction by sharing content during matches. Furthermore, it has been reported that certain players had previously shared images on match days and were instructed to take them down.
BCCI official said: “The broadcasters have paid big money for IPL rights. So commentators cannot post videos or photographs on match day on social media. There have been instances where commentators have done an ‘Instagram Live’ or posted a photo from the ground. One video got one million views. Even IPL teams can’t post videos of live games. They can post a limited number of photographs and can give live match updates on their social media platforms. If found guilty, a franchise will be fined.”
Significance of this decision by BCCI
The report also highlights an instance where an IPL team was fined Rs 9 lakh for sharing a video clip of a live game in which they were participating. This underscores the strict control exercised by the holders of broadcast rights, namely Star India for television and Viacom 18 for digital platforms, over content related to “live matches” and the “field of play.”
To ensure compliance with these directives, the BCCI has deployed designated staff members to closely monitor the social media posts of commentators, IPL teams, players, and individuals present at the stadium in an official capacity. This proactive approach aims to uphold the integrity of the broadcast rights and maintain exclusive control over the dissemination of content related to IPL matches.
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