The BCCI has sold the media rights for the Women’s IPL for $116.7-million (R1.98-billion) to Viacom18 for the next five seasons.

The rights for the men’s IPL sold for $6.2-billion for five seasons last year. Media giant Viacom18 bought the streaming rights.

The money-spinning T20 tournament is set to add a women’s event to the men’s edition this year for the first time.

The Women’s IPL takes place in March.

Viacom18, a joint venture between tycoon Mukesh Ambani’s Network 18 media conglomerate and US group Paramount Global, won the rights for the 2023-27 cycle of the women’s edition.

Jay Shah, secretary of the BCCI, hailed the deal.

“This is massive for women’s cricket,” he wrote on Twitter. “It’s a big and decisive step for empowerment of women’s cricket in India, which will ensure participation of women from all ages. A new dawn indeed!”

The cash-rich men’s IPL – which expanded to 10 men’s teams to include the Lucknow Super Giants and Gujarat Titans and 74 matches last year – is a huge revenue earner for the BCCI.

Viacom18 last June bought the streaming rights for the next five seasons of the men’s IPL for $3.04-billion.

Star, owned by US behemoth Disney, bought the TV rights for $3.01-billion.

© Agence France-Presse