Disney-Reliance may need to dilute cricket dominance to seal merger deal

The Indian antitrust body’s opposition to a proposed $8.5 billion merger of the Indian media assets of Walt Disney and Reliance may force the companies to sell some lucrative cricket broadcast rights or commit to advertising price caps.

Reuters reported earlier this week that the Competition Commission of India (CCI) has sent a warning notice to the companies expressing concern that the merged entity will effectively have a monopoly on cricket broadcast rights worth billions of dollars, allowing it to squeeze advertisers.