Feed Posted March 22, 2009 Share Posted March 22, 2009 However awkward this decision seems to be, the potential alternative could have been worse. More... Sad day for Indian cricket By Chris Morris 12:07 GMT, Sunday, 22 March 2009 BBC News, Delhi In the end the Indian government decided it simply could not take the risk. Holding the second season of the Indian Premier League (IPL) at the same time as the country's general elections was too complicated and too risky. Over the course of a month, tens of thousands of paramilitary and police personnel have to be on duty for the elections - a massive logistical exercise. And in the aftermath of the attack of the Sri Lankan cricket team in the Pakistani city of Lahore, no-one could afford to take security for the IPL for granted. However awkward this decision seems to be, the potential alternative could have been worse. If there had been an attack on an IPL match - and if security was shown to be deficient - that would have been even more damaging for India's image abroad. Locally, it could have cost the government the general elections. Potential pitfalls So with time running out, the Indian cricket authorities have decided that they have no option but to move the Twenty20 tournament abroad - lock, stock and barrel. Now the IPL faces the enormous task of recreating the same sense of excitement - from abroad South Africa and England have emerged as the most likely destinations, but discussions on the details could take a few days. There are potential pitfalls everywhere: the weather, the availability of suitable grounds, the cost of moving the entire tournament, and of course security again - all will be factors in the decision. But the IPL will want to settle on a new destination as quickly as possible. The tournament is due to begin in less than three weeks' time. The main thing the IPL wants to ensure is that the schedule remains exactly the same. So matches will begin in the same prime time slots for the huge television audiences the IPL attracts in India. Tens of millions of pounds of television, sponsorship and advertising money are at stake. Commonwealth Games During the tournament's inaugural season last year, the IPL swept the ratings in India. The attack in Lahore showed the potential security risk Other programmes were blown away as audiences turned in droves to what proved to be an intoxicating mix of cricket, Bollywood, drama and razzmatazz. Now the IPL faces the enormous task of recreating the same sense of excitement - from abroad. On TV, perhaps, it can be done. But franchises like the Delhi Daredevils and the Kolkata Knight Riders, which would have been hoping to build brand loyalty among their local audiences, will be bitterly disappointed. That will now have to wait for another year. The IPL is determined that this move is only a temporary one, and the organisers want to retain a strong sense that this is an "Indian" event. Next year, the Commonwealth Games will be held here in Delhi. There will be no general election, and Indian and Commonwealth officials have already been stressing over the last few days that there is absolutely no question of moving the games. But this is a sad day for Indian sport. And it is obviously a serious blow to the Indian cricket authorities, not least financially, however brave a face they try to put on it. Link to comment
EnterTheVoid Posted March 22, 2009 Share Posted March 22, 2009 Oh pipe down Chrissie its not as bad as you claim save the croc tears Link to comment
zubinpepsi Posted March 22, 2009 Share Posted March 22, 2009 ^^ lol.. dont let ur patriotism affect ur sanity.. Link to comment
Nova Posted March 22, 2009 Share Posted March 22, 2009 Scrap this ridiculous idea. Cash can be made next year...wtf. Sad indeed. Moooo Moooo Link to comment
EnterTheVoid Posted March 22, 2009 Share Posted March 22, 2009 Zubin, I personally feel, that in light of the extra ordinary circumstances where its either the election or the IPL, the right decision was made in giving the election greater priority. These articles are (mockingly ?) lamenting the supposed demise of Indian cricket. All are (supposedly?) worried about the timings, the schedules and how BCCI aren't going to make as much money as they did last year. Now, imagine for the second the BCCI and the cricketing fraternity insisted and indeed got their way and come rain, hail or shine, the IPL went ahead. Now imagine the consequences for Indian cricket and cricket as a whole, considering 70 % of the cricketing revenue comes from India if a serious security incident happened. In that case, we would be chastised for centuries to come. Now, that is a seriously depressing thought and one that would traumatize every Indian cricket fan for decades to come. Now, lamenting over something as serious as that is something I can understand. The tournament is going ahead, the elections are going ahead. Realistically, what could you possibly want ? Its just a temporary adjustment and people should stop being such sooks Sad day / deplorable times / depressing times for Indian cricket, my a *** . Such gutter journalism. Shove a sock in it, sunshine All a load of BS. Much ado about nothing. Link to comment
EnterTheVoid Posted March 22, 2009 Share Posted March 22, 2009 Doomsday horror stories, my foot This is the kind of fabricated hosh - posh you'd tell two year olds to get them to sleep Doesn't work on any one else Link to comment
King Posted March 22, 2009 Share Posted March 22, 2009 The next thing you will hear from touring sides is if domestic games can be played outside India then why can't the international games be played outside India? I cannot see any reason why touring sides can't ask India to host games overseas as there has been few bombings in the last year or so and if IPL can be held elsewhere so can the international games. On top of it if half the games are rained off it will be a bad publicity for IPL. Link to comment
umpire Posted March 22, 2009 Share Posted March 22, 2009 ^wrong. Its all due to elections. and IPL is not a domestic tournament. Its easier to host one touring team than managing full set of 8 teams all over India. Link to comment
King Posted March 22, 2009 Share Posted March 22, 2009 ^wrong. Its all due to elections. and IPL is not a domestic tournament. Its easier to host one touring team than managing full set of 8 teams all over India. IPL is not a domestic tournament????? IPL stands for Indian premier league and is the Twenty20 version of domestic cricket. You are pretty much implying India cannot provide security to 8 domestic teams spread around the country. How come England or South Africa is able to do that? This implies that England and South Africa is a far safer place than India to tour for cricketers. I think a lot of overseas cricketers must have complained about touring India. BCCI has worked out IPL will be a watershed without the overseas cricketers and must have done this. There's more to this than eye can meet. Link to comment
ViruRulez Posted March 22, 2009 Share Posted March 22, 2009 ^wrong. Its all due to elections. and IPL is not a domestic tournament. Its easier to host one touring team than managing full set of 8 teams all over India. Yup I agree :two_thumbs_up: And moreover full security for the teams is not a very difficult task and it would have been easily achieved.. but the main problem was to give fullproof security to the millions of spectators in the stadiums all the IPL matches combined But still I would have preferred a truncated version of the IPL instead of moving it abroad.. but the brands of franchise owners like Vijay Mallaya etc. might become internationally popular now with the shift of the event abroad.. it might generate more money for their business internationally Link to comment
EnterTheVoid Posted March 23, 2009 Share Posted March 23, 2009 The whole world is in a supposed recession. Even with the tournament out of India, the BCCI expects a revenue of the order of 100 million dollars. As a comparison, Australia would've been bankrupt by 60 million dollars had India gone home at the height of the racism saga. England and S.A. are well advised to host the IPL. Money wise, this would do to their cricket what spinach did to Popeye. As for the name, why not just call it DLF Premier League. The fact that it is a domestic tournament with majority domestic players doesn't mean Jack compared to the publicity the hosting venues would gain. Link to comment
goose Posted March 23, 2009 Share Posted March 23, 2009 au contraire - this sends out a good message. India has swallowed it's ego and is determined to place security at the very top of it's priorities, something every future tourist will appreciate. Link to comment
ViruRulez Posted March 23, 2009 Share Posted March 23, 2009 The whole world is in a supposed recession. Even with the tournament out of India, the BCCI expects a revenue of the order of 100 million dollars. As a comparison, Australia would've been bankrupt by 60 million dollars had India gone home at the height of the racism saga. England and S.A. are well advised to host the IPL. Money wise, this would do to their cricket what spinach did to Popeye. As for the name, why not just call it DLF Premier League. The fact that it is a domestic tournament with majority domestic players doesn't mean Jack compared to the publicity the hosting venues would gain. You are right .. it might be renamed DLF Premier League or T20 Premier League :haha: Anyways in a single year it has become much bigger than most international cricket events.. you would not find any big cricket website with special section dedicated to IPL though it might not dedicate any such section for county cricket etc. .. so it is an international event instead of a domestic event :eyedance: Link to comment
Ram Posted March 23, 2009 Share Posted March 23, 2009 au contraire - this sends out a good message. India has swallowed it's ego and is determined to place security at the very top of it's priorities' date=' something every future tourist will appreciate.[/quote'] Precisely. We could have easily pretended that everything was fine and players would have duly come, in search of all the cash. Link to comment
EnterTheVoid Posted March 23, 2009 Share Posted March 23, 2009 The IPL is moved out of India. boo - hoo. now what? sit and cry ? Not that I care much for Pakistani cricket, but they're a board that truly understands what it feels to be mocked, laughed at and subject to the extreme feelings of hostility, prejudice and humiliation. Now, we would end up sharing the same one bedroom flat in some dingy back alley if anything happened to the cricketers during the IPL. Domestic tournament, my foot. For namesake only. Otherwise you wouldn't have England and S.A. lining up in their droves ready to host it Link to comment
riya Posted March 23, 2009 Share Posted March 23, 2009 Basically BCCI made a mockery at Indians.Sad day for the Indians. Link to comment
anbuchelvan Posted March 23, 2009 Share Posted March 23, 2009 This Government seems to have no back bone. Link to comment
Mamu Posted March 23, 2009 Share Posted March 23, 2009 The next thing you will hear from touring sides is if domestic games can be played outside India then why can't the international games be played outside India? I cannot see any reason why touring sides can't ask India to host games overseas as there has been few bombings in the last year or so and if IPL can be held elsewhere so can the international games. On top of it if half the games are rained off it will be a bad publicity for IPL. `Here we go people equating India to be Pakistan. There are some very positive fallouts from this. 1) India will be better prepared for IPL (or any tournaments ) from next year. It was a prudent move given its capabilities. Next year IPL will leave no stone unturned to make it a success. 2) I dare and I repeat I dare -- teams asking India to host tournaments outside. India is not Pakistan. You damn well now what the outcome of that is going to be and most imporantanly who the loser is going to be. India made a prudent move, unlike Pakistan -- who had nothing in place, despite gun totting terrorists roaming around like it is their hometown telling everybody that is is safe. Ofcourse this is temporary -- with all the elections. This will be a big eye opener -- who took everything for granted but now will have to think miles ahead to host any tournament -- let alone IPL. Stop being cynical and stop comparing India to Pakistan. Link to comment
fineleg Posted March 23, 2009 Share Posted March 23, 2009 Its all a circus, and what difference does it make where the circus is held? Link to comment
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