Zee TV announces parallel cricket league :doh:

[veer]

Re: Zee TV announces parallel cricket league This is the beginning of the end..

[Lurker]

Re: Zee TV announces parallel cricket league Great news! I am all for it. My only apprehension is that hopefully this is not a knee-jerk reaction. Here is why I like this move: 1) It will make sure overseas players get to play in India. Now this comes with a catch. The catch being if ZEE's move goes right against BCCI then which overseas board will let their players play? However BCCI obviously does not have any ruling over how an Aussie or Pakistani player plays in India. I can see Pakistani players for example coming right over. They will make more money and will also get valuable experience. Same goes with Lanka and Bangladesh players. Heck if this takes off I can see Aussies(atleast the Aussie A & B players) come to India to hone their skills, specially against spin. And that can only mean more competitive Indian structure. 2) For once an emphasis will be made on the system and not the players. Look at it this way, this whole initiative is supposed to cost 100 crores initially. That with 6 or so teams including overseas players. Compare this to the amount of money Sachin Tendulkar makes! About 140 crores as per last estimate. And that is at the fag end of his career. Would it not be absolutely fantastic that instead of sponsors lining up to pay 140 crores to 1 players, they spend similar amount, even less, to an entire system? 3) I can see such a move happening all over the country. I mean if BCCI cries foul, and most likely they will, ZEE would be hard pressed to play at Wankhede or Brabourne or Eden Gardens. While the law suits will follow this shall also give an oppertunity to let cricket be taken to smaller towns. Take for example BIHAR. A state with a population of about 100 million(as per 2001 census it was 90 million so I have made a round guess here). Now think of when you heard an International Game was played in Patna? EVER? Now do the same for Lucknow etc etc. Hope you get the point. The critics have always cried about lack of facilities but what they do not realize that every single generation of cricket lovers in such states have missed out on witnessing even a single game. I hope this sort of gives that little impetus to get new stadiums, hopefully in lesser known areas. Of course this could just be my optimistic shelf but I hope it does take off. :wtg:

[The Outsider]

Re: Zee TV announces parallel cricket league

Are stadiums state owned or private? :chin:

State.

Then how can BCCI monopolise? Bluntly speaking, whoever doles out more cash to the state (read private coffers of the politicians in power)gets access to it. It will probably lead to cut-throat competition between BCCI and Zee for the existing cricket stadiums/infrastructure. But both are so loaded that might start building their $*****!!

For the moment, BCCI has much more clout and money than Zee's budget for this venture. If a state "rebels" against the BCCI's wishes, BCCI is in a position to not give them any future international matches and also withdraw the funds they give for maintenance of the stadiums. In the current scenario, the stadium will make a huge amount of money from international matches whereas hardly anyone goes to watch domestic cricket in India. The states will not rebel against BCCI IMO.

[dhruvdeepak]

Re: Zee TV announces parallel cricket league frankly speaking, i think if this goes through, it could be the 'revolution' Indian cricket is looking for. anything to get those buggers at BCCI off their arses. Zee will be compelled to come up with a good, professional product. it is a huge huge gamble on their part to invest into this - not knowing how the BCCI will react. then again, maybe they do know. I think the key for Zee will be to gather a bunch of corporations into this venture. Share the risk around and broaden the scale. You can easily see a Kingfisher wanting to get involved for example. Maybe, long term, each of the 6 teams (or 16 or whatever) can be managed and taken care of by one company - this includes their ground, training facilities etc. this is just the type of franchising model i had imagined

[Guest BossBhai]

Re: Zee TV announces parallel cricket league -- Removed on request of the user --

[kabira]

Re: Zee TV announces parallel cricket league Great Move for developing infrastructure for players..But I doubt whether you will see serious contender for indian team playing here...Mostly those who think they cant play for India again will switch to this league..

[DesiChap]

Re: Zee TV announces parallel cricket league This is all bull crap to get attention Not going to happen

[vroomfondel]

Re: Zee TV announces parallel cricket league This is an alternate domestic league, right? They will not field an international team representing India at ICC events? i hate the word entrepreneur because it's often applied to people who take a little bit of risk but do nothing especially innovative, but I think it totally applies here. It seems pretty sound from most perspectives. Sponsors who haven't gotten a piece of the pie (and there are plenty) are going to fall all over him. And especially, as Lurker suggests, if he goes to less publicized venues -- there will be access to market for sponsors that has been cut off by BCCI's urban-centricness. From a players' perspective, we have a HUGE amount of fringe players who could actually be good enough to play internationally. The same applies worldwide. I expect players getting callups from the Zee League to suddenly find themselves in A or Senior squads thanks to the BCCI's insecurity. Also, if an indian player is doing phenomenally in the Chandra league, you can bet there will be pressure for him to be assimilated in the 'real' team. The BCCI may make players sign a non-compete or whatever it's called. If you play for the Chandra league, you can NEVER or Not in 2 years play for the BCCI. But I don't think the business practices bureaus would take well to that.

[vroomfondel]

Re: Zee TV announces parallel cricket league Also, if they're smart. They will give DD full access to the matches for the next 5 years. No encryption wagera. And DD keeps 30-40% of ad revenue.

[beetle]

Re: Zee TV announces parallel cricket league BCCI has already reacted. Modi says...they can't use our facilities and players have to take permission from BCCI and ICC.

[soma]

Re: Zee TV announces parallel cricket league I love this idea. Fack ICC and Fack BCCI. India has lot of players, lot of talent and lot of money now. It is time for us to start our own Major League type cricket teams.

[soma]

Re: Zee TV announces parallel cricket league

What a joke! The players dont play domestic cricket. When are they going to find the time for the parallel league.

If there is a good money like MLB or NFL contracts (ofcourse in Rs. equivalent), I am sure you will find plenty of players.

[beetle]

Re: Zee TV announces parallel cricket league Besides this zee guy has not said anything about improving infrastructure..... I think this is just Zee's armtwisting to get the 20-20 WC telecast rights from Bcci just like Aussiecricket board surrendered the telecast rights to packer guy.

[shailesh]

Re: Zee TV announces parallel cricket league it is not about 2020 wc rights, it was the 5(?) year package that zee couldn't get.

[shailesh]

Re: Zee TV announces parallel cricket league

This is the beginning of the end..

end of?

[gs]

Re: Zee TV announces parallel cricket league

This is the beginning of the end..

end of?

BCCI raj! :hic:

[Gambit]

Re: Zee TV announces parallel cricket league Just answer this. Would you guys be interested in watching Delhi v Mumbai in this league or India's tour of Australia if both were going on simuntaneously? I, for one, find it extremely difficult to stoke passion within myself for domestic games. There will always be one cricket team that I get behind and that will be the Indian international cricket team. However, the most obvious positive out of this competition. This will make BCCI move out of their comfort zone, get off their asses and actually do some work. Develop spectator facilities in stadia, better pitches, A tours etc etc.

[Holysmoke]

Re: Zee TV announces parallel cricket league Nobody may go on record, but key Indian players had even been paid a signing amount and negotiations were on with the Arjuna Ranatungas and Inzamam-ul Haqs. I'm really not sure i wanna see ranatunga play cricket anymore.. hopefully he'll be a coach

[King]

Re: Zee TV announces parallel cricket league This is the problem of course, they will rope in some cricketers from the past as no current cricketer will likely play in this league. Numbers really do matter and when the runs scored are not counted towards statistics even the domestic cricketers won't find it thrilling. More than anything how are they going to make the teams competitive? They may put together few teams with cricketers from around the country but I don't believe they are going to be seriously competitive. Representing a country is one thing and representing a corporate sponsored team is another. Another cricket league is a great idea surely. If Zee wants to make this more competitive they should not only look at Indian domestic teams. They should rather have 6 teams from different countries. That will make it more competitive and also will ensure good fan following. That will put Zee TV league on the global map rather than just domestic. I don't reckon it will cost them anymore than what they have for now. If Zee TV can rope in a team from say Pakistan, England, South Africa, Australia, West Indies and Sri Lanka they can make this a very good venture. Unless there is a favor of nationalism in cricket it cannot survive. As for grounds, outside India it can be rented out. I don't know what the arrangement in India but in place like NZ and Australia the grounds can be rented out as it is usually owned by corporate. An example is the Westpactrust stadium in Wellington. Anyone can hire this stadium. In fact couple of club games in our league is also played here. Expect someone to borrow the ideas expressed above and put it in their article that will be published online shortly :hic:

[yoda]

Re: Zee TV announces parallel cricket league

Just answer this. Would you guys be interested in watching Delhi v Mumbai in this league or India's tour of Australia if both were going on simuntaneously?

Looks like initially it will be more like a 20/20 pro league. So, they won't really be competing at all.