Zee Entertainment has officially refuted claims made by Star India for nearly ₹8,000 crore in damages. Star India filed a ‘Statement of Case’ before the London Court of International Arbitration (LCIA), declaring the termination of an alliance agreement with Zee. The 2022 agreement involved a sub-license for TV broadcasting rights for ICC Men’s and Under-19 cricket matches between 2024-2027.
In its statement to stock exchanges, Zee Entertainment strongly denied all assertions made by Star, including the hefty claim of $940 million (approximately ₹8,000 crore). Zee emphasized that the arbitration process is in its early stages, and the LCIA Arbitral Tribunal has yet to determine whether the company holds any liability.
Zee further stated that it will “strongly contest” all claims, calling them “unfounded” and reaffirming its stance that the tribunal has not yet made any decisions on potential liabilities. In March 2024, Star initiated the arbitration, accusing Zee of breaching the alliance agreement.
On March 14, Star India initiated arbitration proceedings against Zee Entertainment at the London Court of International Arbitration (LCIA).
On August 26, 2022, Star India entered into an alliance agreement with Zee to sublicense TV rights for ICC Men’s and Under-19 global events, covering a four-year period until 2027.
However, Zee did not move forward with the alliance due to the collapse of its merger deal with Sony Pictures Networks India. As an independent entity, Zee found it challenging to manage the ICC TV rights agreement.
Zee informed Star that the alliance could not continue and requested a refund of ₹69 crore, which it had already paid.
The legal dispute stems from Zee Entertainment’s accusation that Star India did not adhere to the agreement regarding the sharing of TV broadcast rights for ICC matches. As a result, Zee had sought a refund earlier this year, which escalated into this ongoing legal battle.
With both parties preparing for a long arbitration process, Zee remains firm in its position to challenge Star India’s claims, reserving its rights throughout the proceedings.
