honestbharani
Whatever it takes!!!
Ok... I know this is waaaaaaaaay too early to start this kind of speculation and this thread is probably a good 2 years ahead of its time, but what if the IPL becomes very successful and pulls in a lot of eyeballs, both at the grounds and on the telly, over the next 3 years or so?
Do we see an expansion of the IPL in terms of the no. of T20 games or do we actually see the IPL start to have a 50 overs competition and then later on, a 4 day FC competition?
Personally, even though more T20 games would probably mean more money and better return on investment for the owners, I would LOVE to see them expand to 4 day and 50 over competitions.. Ultimately, THAT would benefit cricket as a whole, and esp. Indian cricket, that much more than juz a Twenty20 league. Imagine a Brett Lee to Ponting in an Indian FC game.. We could simply juz allow 3 overseas players max per team, because given the international schedule anyways, not THAT many of the IPL overseas signings will be available. But if they start making money out of this, the owners might be willing to spend on some of the domestic FC cricketers from other countries and also on some of the guys in our country itself, esp. players from the catchment areas....
Maybe the Ranji and other premier domestic comps of India would juz end up becoming feeders in that case, but I don't think it is such a bad thing at all. With cricket not really in that much of health in places like New Zealand and Windies, THIS could be the spark that could make the kids take up cricket again in a big way and as a career option. I am sure it has its downsides, but with lesser number of teams and more money involved and probably more professionally run teams, (and with the owners controlling the stadiums and stuff during the IPL matches, I am sure they will take good care of the spectators as well, which MIGHT bring back at least some crowds to domestic cricket), I think it would help our game as a whole, not juz the BCCI....
Thoughts??
Do we see an expansion of the IPL in terms of the no. of T20 games or do we actually see the IPL start to have a 50 overs competition and then later on, a 4 day FC competition?
Personally, even though more T20 games would probably mean more money and better return on investment for the owners, I would LOVE to see them expand to 4 day and 50 over competitions.. Ultimately, THAT would benefit cricket as a whole, and esp. Indian cricket, that much more than juz a Twenty20 league. Imagine a Brett Lee to Ponting in an Indian FC game.. We could simply juz allow 3 overseas players max per team, because given the international schedule anyways, not THAT many of the IPL overseas signings will be available. But if they start making money out of this, the owners might be willing to spend on some of the domestic FC cricketers from other countries and also on some of the guys in our country itself, esp. players from the catchment areas....
Maybe the Ranji and other premier domestic comps of India would juz end up becoming feeders in that case, but I don't think it is such a bad thing at all. With cricket not really in that much of health in places like New Zealand and Windies, THIS could be the spark that could make the kids take up cricket again in a big way and as a career option. I am sure it has its downsides, but with lesser number of teams and more money involved and probably more professionally run teams, (and with the owners controlling the stadiums and stuff during the IPL matches, I am sure they will take good care of the spectators as well, which MIGHT bring back at least some crowds to domestic cricket), I think it would help our game as a whole, not juz the BCCI....
Thoughts??