IPL has survived, but only threat is loss of interest

world’s sixth most-valued sports property.

While most countries now have their T20 leagues, none compares with the IPL in the player or financial heft. The IPL’S player purchase purse – at ~80 crore – is approximately nine times greater than that of next biggest, the Big Bash.

How massively the IPL has grown is evident from the money Star Network paid for winning the media rights in 2017: ~16348 crore approximately for five years. The entire IPL ecosystem is touted to be worth ~32-35,000 crore.

The IPL has opened up avenues for many more young hopefuls. It has provided a platform, which can fast track their progress.

Critics say the T20 format is detrimental to the development of Test players. India, which is ranked no 1 in tests, does not seem to have particularly suffered.

Despite its enormous success, or because of it, the IPL has also shown up a grisly underbelly every now and then. Alleged financial misdemeanours cost Lalit Modi his job as IPL chairman, and he sought refuge overseas when the authorities got on his case.

The 2013 match-fixing scam also took a heavy toll with the then BCCI president, N Srinivasan, having to relinquish office after the Supreme Court was asked to intervene. The apex court even appointed a panel to straighten things out in the Board, which still continues.

The IPL has been able to not just survive these setbacks and controversies, but continues to prosper and has also inspired other sports in India to emulate it.

Not all have met with success, it would be fair to say that the overall kitty for sport in India has grown exponentially, thanks to the IPL.

The IPL looks set for another successful season if interest in the player auctions some weeks earlier is any indication. In fact, the only real threat to the tournament is if the public loses interest in the T20 format itself. For the present, that seems as remote as it gets.