MUMBAI: For telecasting the mother of all battles, ESPN Star Sports is looking at getting Rs 1.7 million per 10-second spot, substantially higher from the Rs 4-5 lakh it was charging in the early stages of the World Cup competition.

As India takes guard against Pakistan in the semifinal contest on Wednesday, sources say the broadcaster has a little less than five per cent of inventory to sell.

At Rs. 1.7 million, the spot would be around three times what ESS had earlier been selling for its India package.

While declining to comment on inventory or rates, an ESS spokesperson said: "The price will be substantially higher than what it has been for the other matches. There is traction in the media for this match."

According to Dentsu CEO Sai Nagesh, the proposals have been put to clients and deals are likely to happen.
"It is not just about CPRPs anymore. For an India versus Pakistan match, the dynamics are different. For clients that couldn‘t afford packages earlier for the event, this match is a good shotgun approach to get reach, involvement and brand awareness," he says.

Nagesh believes the World Cup has delivered beyond expectations. "It is not just about the India matches. Even teams like Ireland have surprised with their performances. This led to viewers wondering what would happen next and sustained their interests," he avers.

Lodestsr UM COO Nandini Dias feels that at this rate, a client would have to shell out around Rs 30 million to get the desired visibility on a single day.

"It is a workable solution, though. It is an issue of outlay. A World Cup match at the final stages commands a premium. An India-Pakistan match would fetch an even higher premium," she says.