Cauvery hits IPL, knocks matches out of Chennai

CHENNAI/NEWDELHI: Matches of the Indian Premier League (IPL), which had returned to Chennai after a gap of two years, have been moved out of the city after growing protests against the Central government for its failure to set up a Cauvery Management Board (CMB) and demands from political leaders in Tamil Nadu that this was “not the right time” to think of cricket.

Though there was no official confirmation from the local franchise Chennai Super Kings (CSK) or the BCCI, officials familiar with the development said on Wednesday that CSK’s six remaining home matches would be shifted to Pune.

The CSK management reached out to the Maharashtra Cricket Association (MCA) after the Board gave it four venue options -- Visakhapatnam, Rajkot, Thiruvananthapuram and Pune. “CSK has confirmed that they want to play in Pune. Our ground is ready, we are always prepared. We had been given two IPL play-off matches and now we are very happy to host the CSK matches,” MCA secretary Riyaz Bagwan told Hindustan Times.

The venue for home matches is crucial for all teams because it assures a loyal fan base and revenue generated through ticket sales. Gate receipts are a significant source of revenue for the IPL franchises. Industry estimates suggest that CSK has made ~25-30 crore a season from gate receipts annually prior to its suspension after officials of the team were found guilty of betting during the 2013 season. Tamil Nadu moved a contempt plea in the Supreme Court on March 31, seeking action against the Centre for failing to form the CMB and the Cauvery Water Regulation Committee within six week.