Star Sports renews BWF media rights deal

Star Sports has ‘finally’ acquired the Badminton World Federation media rights for a four-year cycle. The deal, coming into effect with the signing, will run through the BWF 2021 calendar.

India’s leading sportscaster, Star was also BWF’s official media rights holder for India in the previous four-year (2014-2017) cycle. The deal had expired in December last.

As the broadcaster and the world governing body for badminton had failed to reach an understanding to extend their association, Indian badminton fans had to miss out on several important events on the BWF calendar, including the Indonesia Masters in January where Saina Nehwal had reached the final, before going down to her nemesis Tai Tzu Ying for her seventh successive loss to the World No. 1.

The Indian fans were also deprived of the television coverage of the Swiss Open last month and the German Open earlier this month. The matches though were streamed live on the BWF’s digital channel.

However, Star is currently showing the prestigious All-England Open Badminton Championship, for which the 21st Century Fox owner broadcaster has inked a deal with the Badminton England, the national governing body for the sport in England.

Star had in the meantime had also broadcast the India Open Super Series as the national governing body for the sports, Badminton Association of India, had the right to appoint the host broadcaster for the biggest event on the Indian badminton calendar.