Punjab Kings co-owner Ness Wadia feels IPL With a significant increase in the number of matches now set to be held in two separate halves, after BCCI ‘murdered’ the media rights auction with a $6.2 billion deal.
BCCI splitting the media rights into four bundles helped the richest cricket board raise Rs 48,390 crore through e-auction, almost three times more than in the previous cycle.
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In the next five years, there is a possibility that there could be 94 games in the IPL and BCCI secretary Jay Shah has already said that the tournament will be two and a half months away from the next ICC FTP calendar.
talking to PTIWadia congratulated Shah & Co for delivering an innovative media rights strategy, but expressed hope that the IPL will get what it has long pending: “more home games and a bigger season”.
“IPL has taken cricket to a global level. IPL has provided the necessary spark to cricket and made it a global sport. It will get bigger. Having said that, seven matches at home, that’s too little. It must be at least 14. I actually see a very long season that is long overdue.
“If you can’t have a four-month long season why not watch two seasons every year, one in India and one in a different country. Indians are everywhere around the world. There is a huge potential for many more sports to happen, Wadia said.
Until last season, when there were eight franchises, teams played 14 games on a home and away basis. This year with 10 teams, the format was changed but one team continued to play 14 games.
Asked why there is a need to double the domestic matches, he said: “It is a logical reason. How many are seven matches at home? Very little in my opinion. There should be a big window. In value per match, IPL is now bigger than EPL and see how many games each team plays there (38).
The IPL is getting a longer window and the rise of other T20 leagues across the world also puts more pressure on bilateral cricket.
Some experts have already predicted that cricket is moving towards football with leagues set to dominate the cricket calendar.
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“I would say it is already happening. There is no doubt that it will happen eventually. IPL has revived, evolved and globalized cricket. And believe me, this is just the tip of the iceberg.
“The tournament is for about 15 years and the window should have been bigger several years back. It is long overdue. And it will happen. How long can you keep a genie in a bottle?
Asked about the audience fatigue with the IPL getting longer: “At some point, we have to look at that as well. That’s where the creativity comes in and we can see how leagues are run around the world. We are far from tired at the moment. When we get there, we will cross the bridge.”
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