Error 404: BCCI Website Goes Down After Failure To Renew Domain Name
The Board of Control for Cricket in India’s (BCCI) website — http://www.bcci.tv — was down for 24 hours and officials could not use their email to communicate after the domain name was not renewed on time. The website hosts official scoreboards, archives, photos and videos. Bids ranging from $69 to $260 had sprung up for the domain name, adding to the board’s embarrassment.
It was only on Sunday night that the website was up and running and officials could access their email accounts.
According to a top BCCI official, the domain is in the name of former IPL commissioner Lalit Modi, who has fallen out with the BCCI. On realising that the website was down, BCCI officials tried to get it back up as soon as they could.
“The BCCI spoke to representatives of the entity through which the domain name is registered, when the site and emails were down. They told us that there was some issue and the domain registrars couldn’t accept credit card payment. They told us the matter would be resolved soon,” a BCCI official said. The BCCI official clarified that an undertaking had been given in the Bombay High Court that they (registrant) would not do anything to stop usage by BCCI and continue handling the payment part.
BCCI and Modi have been estranged since 2010 after the former Rajasthan Cricket Association chief was suspended on 22 charges. He was subsequently banned for life in 2013 and recently Modi completely quit cricket administration.
Domain details of BCCI. (Source: Whois)
Public bidding
After the board’s website was not renewed, the domain registrars Register.com and Namejet.com had put the website up for public bidding.
BCCI earns $405 million from the ICC and recently signed a lucrative TV rights deal with Star Sports for Rs 16,347.5 crore or $2.55 billion.
As per the website’s registration details, the registrant is Lalit Modi with the organisation being Modi Enterprises (owned by Modi himself). The administrative information also points to Modi Entertainment as the organisation associated with the domain.
Incidentally, the official website for the IPL, iplt20.com, was also registered in the name of Lalit Modi before its ownership was transferred.
Courtesy : indianexpress
