- Walee backs January PSL amid advertising revenue concerns.
- Franchises seek clarity on broadcast revenue payments: report.
- PCB ‘explores mid-year tournament’ under existing rights deal.
The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) and eight Pakistan Super League (PSL) franchise owners have discussed moving next year’s tournament to January, ESPNcricinforeported on Saturday.
The proposal was discussed at the PSL Governing Council meeting held in London on September 1, with media rights holder Walee Technologies reportedly pushing for an earlier window.
The report said Walee proposed moving the PSL to January over concerns about limited advertising revenue during the April-May window.
The period comes after Ramadan, when companies are understood to have already spent a significant portion of their marketing and television advertising budgets.
Franchise owners, however, have raised concerns over whether they would receive their full share of broadcast revenue regardless of when the tournament is held, particularly amid questions over Walee’s advertising returns.
Under the existing agreement, the eight franchises receive 95% of broadcast revenue from the central revenue pool.
The first nine editions of the PSL, held between 2016 and 2024, were staged in the February-March window.
The tournament was moved to April-May for the past two seasons because of the ICC Champions Trophy in 2025 and the T20 World Cup this year, resulting in the PSL being played concurrently with the Indian Premier League (IPL).
One advantage of holding the PSL alongside the IPL has been the uninterrupted availability of players, an issue that had affected previous editions because of clashes with other T20 leagues around the world.
A January-February window could again create player-availability issues, with the PSL competing for overseas players with South Africa’s SA20 and Australia’s Big Bash League.
The shift could also create logistical challenges in Punjab, where January and February bring colder temperatures and dense fog. Lahore, Multan and Rawalpindi, three of the four traditional PSL venues, are located in the province.
One proposal is to start the tournament in Karachi before moving to Punjab and Peshawar as weather conditions improve.
Pakistan currently has a clear international window from mid-November to March, with no home or away series currently scheduled during that period.
The national side are due to host Sri Lanka and England in October and November before facing New Zealand in March, which will be Pakistan’s final World Test Championship assignment of the current cycle.
Walee Technologies holds the PSL’s domestic broadcast and digital rights until 2029 and held international media rights for the 2026 edition. It also owns Rawalpindiz, one of two new franchises introduced when the league expanded to eight teams this year.
The Governing Council, comprising representatives of the PCB and owners of all eight franchises, also discussed ways to expand the PSL’s footprint beyond its traditional tournament window.
The council also explored entering the esports market, which has been growing in Pakistan, amid franchise concerns over declining interest in the PSL following Pakistan’s poor performances across formats.
Entering esports could potentially help the league attract a younger and more diverse audience while creating additional commercial opportunities.
The council also discussed staging a mid-year tournament under the existing rights agreement, with the PCB proposing it as an additional revenue stream for franchises and the broadcaster while helping maintain the PSL’s visibility throughout the year.
No final decision has been taken on the January shift or additional events, with further discussions expected before any changes are formally approved.
2026-09-06 14:19:00
