IPL - India's guilty pleasure

[Prudent]

Is the Indian Premier League (IPL) too much of a good thing? Will cricket and commerce both suffer if it is overdone? Is spin dominating substance when it comes to selling the world's most expensive cricket tournament? If you believe Lalit Modi, the man who runs this heady cocktail of hit-and-run cricket, Bollywood and glamour, Indians can never have enough of the IPL. In its third six-week season, everyone in India, according to writer Jug Suraiya, is "playing, reading, breathing, eating, talking and bidding cricket." Cricket and capitalism have never had a more torrid relationship. The talk of the town is the addition of two new teams who have paid about as much as the eight teams did two years ago when the IPL was born. So next year we will have 10 teams instead of eight and 94 matches instead of 60. Happy? I'm not so sure. Let us not get deluded by the market's response. It's a no-brainer for businesses to hitch a ride on the IPL gravy train in a cricket-crazy country. Even his critics concede Mr Modi was clever enough to cash in on an idea which was waiting to be exploited. He has seemingly created enough revenue streams to impress market experts and help teams make money. Mr Modi has sold theatrical rights to cinema halls and bars to screen matches (not working yet, going by the empty halls) and internet rights to You Tube (slow broadband speeds mean that the reported two-year $7m deal is yet to become a winner in India). He is selling after-match parties (but it is unclear how long the interest will last). A TV channel has paid up to $22m for IPL-branded TV shows - a sharp idea. Then there is advertising in stadiums, mobile phone rights and ground sponsorship. Teams get a share of all these revenues. They also mop up their own revenue by picking up local sponsors, selling team merchandise and gate receipts. No wonder IPL cheerleaders are calling it the "billion dollar baby". Rahul Bhattacharya, India's finest cricket writer, says India will accept the IPL with all this and more because it is not a sporting society. "Its [society's] relationship with sport is not of participant but consumer. It holds nothing sacred. The IPL knows that it competes not against sport but general entertainment," he says. But, amid this hype, there is absolutely no way to verify the spin about the IPL's fortunes. Lalit Modi says it is India's biggest global brand and valued at over $4bn. I have asked many friends in the valuations business and they say they have no clue about the basis of this figure. Mr Modi also insists that the tournament will generate up to $140m, translating into earnings of $18m for each team.... http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/thereporters/soutikbiswas/2010/03/the_spin_and_substance_of_the_indian_premier_leagu.html See the comments section :cantstop:

[Zap_Brannigan]

Another anti IPL news??That's surprising. From the article, "Yet, three editions later, one hears that most teams are not making money. This is despite the fact that the team owners are paying IPL for their teams in 10 yearly instalments. " Considering that it was known prior to the start of IPL, that it would take more than a few years to make a profit and that KKR and RR went on to make a modest profit in the very first year, IPL has done more than what was expected. A portion of RR was sold to Shilpa shetty for 2 years worth of franchise fee just after 1 year. Any of the 8 franchise can be sold for more than double of what they paid for(in reality much more) and that's in just 3 years. I dont know about the author, but IMO, IPL has surpassed all initial financial expectations.

[goose]

If the IPL continues to grow, in years to come, owning a franchise need not be motivated by profit. It will be something rich tycoons gift to their children. Owning a brand such as a newspaper or football side carries it's own cache.

[jusarrived]

This was just yesterday . A friend was down from Denmark for a week. I almost fainted when this dude , who hates cricket told me he wanted to pick up Tendulkars MI jersey . So if you think hes one of those new T20 fans ? nope ,difficult to believe , but the jersey was for his boss in Denmark , whos not a NRI , but swedish and has no connections with India either .Apparently his boss had watched a few matches online & asked my friend to get a Tendulkars Jersey while returning . For me there is no comparison between tests and other formats of cricket , but if T20s/IPL can get few more fans & more money into the game , dont see any harm in it either .

[Arkem8]

Baked Beans 1. British media are inherently jealous of any success whatsoever. I often joke, ‘that shouldn’t be allowed‘, when I hear someone has made a pile of cash. I am being ironic, but it’s fascinating to watch the number of people who actually nod along with the statement. 2. Know your place. British media need to ‘place’ you in society. They need to understand where precisely you are in the hierarchy. And if you’re seeking to change that hierarchy — by doing something entrepreneurial, well, that’s your fault. See point 1. I read this comment somewhere .very true.

Spot on.. british Hipocrites..

[Jersey #10]

This was just yesterday . A friend was down from Denmark for a week. I almost fainted when this dude , who hates cricket told me he wanted to pick up Tendulkars MI jersey . So if you think hes one of those new T20 fans ? nope ,difficult to believe , but the jersey was for his boss in Denmark , whos not a NRI , but swedish and has no connections with India either .Apparently his boss had watched a few matches online & asked my friend to get a Tendulkars Jersey while returning . For me there is no comparison between tests and other formats of cricket , but if T20s/IPL can get few more fans & more money into the game , dont see any harm in it either .

+1! Such things have happened to me as well. like the time I watched IPL with my white friends who usually make fun of me for following such a "stupid" sport. IPL is only helping cricket gain more respect, money, faith and followers. This is something that half dead format like test would never be able to achieve.

[Guest Hiten.]

I don't care what others say but ipl's broadcast quality has been utter tripe and has forced me away from this years competition. I've only watched couple of games and that was all I could bare with. Shorter boundaries are another thing which peeved me off because if you boast about carrying best in the business then test them something with more challenging.

[Jersey #10]

Shorter boundaries - ridiculous!

[Gunner_Mania]

Soutik Biswas never has anything good to say about India. So I would take his blog with a pinch of salt.

[urbestfriend]

IPL is a platform for rich businessmen to showoff their wealth and get more richer at the expense of poor cricket watching Indian public.At the same time, BCCI is also making crores, don't know what BCCI do with that money as it is a non-profit organization :dontknow:

[achilles]

Its on a British website and it rips apart the IPL. Why the heck am I not even surprised? And the writer has been pwned beyond EPIC proportions. Idiot :hehe:

[achilles]

I just read the whole article. This guy seems to be a disgruntled ex after a screwed-up relationship at best. At worst, he seems like a purist crying hoarse about his favourite form of cricket dying, when no one actually cares a crap about it.

[Zap_Brannigan]

IPL is a platform for rich businessmen to showoff their wealth and get more richer at the expense of poor cricket watching Indian public.At the same time' date=' BCCI is also making crores, don't know what BCCI do with that money as it is a non-profit organization :dontknow:[/quote'] Oh STFU with your pretentiousness .. Noone stopped you from making a 100 million deposit on one of those teams...It is a business.The players are getting a lot of money,BCCi is getting richer which only means more money into the roots of the game, stadiums are getting better, domestic players are showcased at an international level,i am getting entertained.......but poor you, wont anyone think of poor you

[Gunner_Mania]

..It is a business.The players are getting a lot of money' date='BCCi is getting richer [s']which only means more money into the roots of the game, stadiums are getting better, domestic players are showcased at an international level,

[achilles]

^ C'mon man, thats harsh. BCCI has invested money as if it were a piece of paper on stadiums all around the country to prepare for the WC2011 and thanks to the rotation policy, even a Dharmasala and Goa host matches.

[urbestfriend]

Oh STFU with your pretentiousness .. Noone stopped you from making a 100 million deposit on one of those teams...It is a business.The players are getting a lot of money' date='BCCi is getting richer which only means more money into the roots of the game, stadiums are getting better, domestic players are showcased at an international level,i am getting entertained.......but poor you, wont anyone think of poor you[/quote'] Dude, I know it is a business but I am pissed about business model. (1)Only rich people can afford Huge initial deposits, this is business for rich people to make money. But the product is easily sellable to the cricket crazy Indian public, it is easy money for those invested in IPL. All they have to do is buy a franchise and then register profit. In a country like India where 100 rich people are worth of 25% total domestic GDP and rich n poor divide is growing , this kind of businesses which make rich people richer won't do any good. Major part of the revenue comes from TV advertisements and millions of people which don't give a sh!t about IPL also have to bear the cost of these advertisement if they buy these products. I dont mind if they make money from the people who are ready to pay for watch. Secondly BCCI is self sufficient organisation even without IPL. They make huge money from international matches and they dont need IPL money to promote cricket. In spite of that no much improvement in facilities in the stadium etc..But IPL is earning huge revenue to BCCI, I dont know what they do with this money. They don't care to disclose their accounts to the general public. All in all, IPL is easiest way to pluck money form public to make profit to BCCI and rich investors

[Gunner_Mania]

^ C'mon man' date=' thats harsh. BCCI has invested money as if it were a piece of paper on stadiums all around the country to prepare for the WC2011 and thanks to the rotation policy, even a Dharmasala and Goa host matches.[/quote'] The Associations have to fund for the upgrade of the stadiums not BCCI. What money has gone into the roots of the game? You make it sound as if the BCCI is the most professionally run organisation in the world and cares about Indian cricket and its future. and as for Dharamsala and Goa hosting match, it is this stupid rotation ploicy that means that we host a lot of matches at totally empty stadiums.

[yoda]

Dude, I know it is a business but I am pissed about business model. (1)Only rich people can afford Huge initial deposits, this is business for rich people to make money. But the product is easily sellable to the cricket crazy Indian public, it is easy money for those invested in IPL. All they have to do is buy a franchise and then register profit. In a country like India where 100 rich people are worth of 25% total domestic GDP and rich n poor divide is growing , this kind of businesses which make rich people richer won't do any good. Major part of the revenue comes from TV advertisements and millions of people which don't give a sh!t about IPL also have to bear the cost of these advertisement if they buy these products. I dont mind if they make money from the people who are ready to pay for watch. Secondly BCCI is self sufficient organisation even without IPL. They make huge money from international matches and they dont need IPL money to promote cricket. In spite of that no much improvement in facilities in the stadium etc..But IPL is earning huge revenue to BCCI, I dont know what they do with this money. They don't care to disclose their accounts to the general public. All in all, IPL is easiest way to pluck money form public to make profit to BCCI and rich investors

Owning a pro sports team is a rich man's business anywhere and everywhere. The IPL is the only pro sports league in India. Don't you think our public deserve at least one such league? Have you seen all the people having fun and enjoying these games at these near-full stadium? Whether you "purists" like it or not, it is a big hit cause it is entertainment and believe it or not people like to be entertained. Regarding companies spending money on ads, remember ads means farther reach which means more kitty in the bag of the companies. It doesn't mean price/unit goes up.

[Ranjha]

Facts: Biswas is just jealous. Ipl is a success. Modi is a smartass. KKR sucks. Modi is ugly as hell.

[Params7]

BCCi is getting richer which only means more money into the roots of the game

In dreamland, right?