Last Update: February 03, 2023, 07:00 IST
IPL held its first season in 2008 and has now become a 10-team event. (BCCI photo)
The Indian Premier League is counted among the richest sports leagues in the world.
The rapid rise of franchise-based cricket leagues around the world has long evoked strong reactions, with supporters citing it as the next step in the game’s evolution, while critics say it may ultimately lead to the death of international cricket. can push into extreme order. Whichever side of the fence one sits, it cannot be denied that the popularity of T20 leagues with private entities is jaw-dropping for the teams and players to acquire.
The growth of the Indian Premier League (IPL) in particular has been a major development over the past decade as the domestic tournament has become one of the richest sporting events in the world, rivaling the likes of the well-established Premier League (football) of England. competing with. ) and the National Football League (NFL) of the USA.
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Former England captain Andrew Strauss has made a big prediction that IPL will one day overtake NFL to become the biggest sports league in the world.
“As the Indian economy grows, it is expected that by the time it reaches the size of the United States in 2040, the IPL is expected to be worth six times what it is today – becoming the largest domestic is the sporting tournament in the world, bar none,” Strauss said while delivering the Cowdrey Lecture at Lord’s.
He also said that the rise of franchise cricket is a step in the right direction which will allow a wider range of people to engage with the game.
“If you allow yourself to be bound by the thesis that the purpose of sport is to bring diverse people together, whether playing or watching and allow cricket to educate and connect, then surely The rise of franchise cricket is one of the great steps forward,” he said.
“With more players playing in different parts of the world, experiencing new places and meeting new people, more and more people around the world are engaging with the great sport we all love so much,” he added. Are.”
She pointed to the record amount paid by private business houses in India to acquire five franchises for the inaugural Women’s Premier League (WPL) as proof that women’s cricket now stands on its own.
BCCI secretary Jay Shah had last month revealed that the combined bid received for the five teams was higher than what the board received for the inaugural season of the men’s IPL in 2008.
“The first IPL franchise has just been sold for a whopping £465 million ($572.5 million),” Strauss said.
She further added, “Women’s cricket is really on its feet and has the potential to be among the top three sports for earning potential for any young girl with the talent and ambition to play the game professionally.”
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