Thanks to IPL, for pushing cricket through bidding to gambling to controversies to, lately, politics. All for the ‘love for cricket’!!
IPL has indeed become one of the fastest growing businesses considering the fact that it is estimated at an enormous $4.13 billion today and that too in less than 3 years. Some people are even predicting it to soon out cross English Premium League (EPL), which, by the way, is totally absurd. EPL, which is currently valued at around $12 billion, is one of the most watched sporting league with it’s viewership spread across over 200 countries and is also known for it’s deep rooted league culture of Europe. IPL, on the other hand, has neither a rich league culture nor a global viewership. In fact, IPL is less about sports and more about glamour. It is merely about owing teams based on economic and politic strength and attracting crowd through various sporting and non sporting gimmicks, including the foreign cheer leaders and the late night parties. But we Indians are so much in love with this sport that we forget that all that glitters is not cricket.
This is evident from the controversies that are filling in the news papers nowadays, that speaks of the lack of authenticity and transparency with which this whole business is being handled. The BCCI who is supposed to be in the governing role; they are themselves the biggest promoters of IPL. This is because those who are associated with IPL or the franchisees are part of BCCI board too. Due to which the sporting spirit has been replaced with the greed and hunger for more money and power.
And today, the whole nation is discussing about Modi, Tharoor and BCCI. Our government and income tax people are wasting their time, energy and resources and running around to get to the root of this conspiracy. Hmm, was IPL worth all this? Isn’t cricket much more than just bidding and cheap politics?
Courtesy: TOI
4 comments:
Cricket has lost it all since the match fixing days of 2000…it’s a riot field and India’s favorite destination for corruption. Where else would this happen other than for our country where everything goes unchecked and unwarranted for…
It is nice to see that you you are active again in blogosphere!!
well, i kinda have a different take on this...IPL kinda gives oppor to so many regional cricketers....and goin forward, when each of the teams conduct their own coaching camps, selection trials etc, we will see more talent coming up...but then again, to make it financially viable...they had to sell teams...the teams were few, bidders many, hence an auction, which went to sky rocket prices.
Now, the owners have no choice but to do everything possible to get their money back.....bring celebrities...sell merchandise...hike ad rates...etc etc
as long as it serves its original cause, i aint bothered abt guys with deep pockets dishing out 1 lac a night to rub shoulders with players at parties !
'as long as it serves its original cause' - true. But there is a limit to the costs that the public and the government has to pay for this cause. What i am trying to say is IPL is not governed properly. So people have been misusing for their own personal benefits and ultimately it becomes less of a game and more of a gamble.
And I dont think the real purpose is served. Yes, few regional players might have gt a chance, but the Indian cricket team, as of now, has not gained any thing except money.
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