By the start of 2023 Indian Premier League teams will be playing against each other in four different countries and for almost five months of the year. That is a lot of exposure for the Franchise brands over and above the actual IPL held in India which is now, apparently, the second most valuable sporting league in the world.
The recently updated media rights deal worth around $6.5billion pushed the IPL from fourth place on the list to second with total revenue generated exceeding $10 billion annually. It will, no doubt, claim top spot sometime in the future.
Most valuable Sports Leagues
1. National Football League (NFL) $16.0 billion per annum
2. Indian Premier League (IPL) $10.2
3. Major League Baseball (MLB) $10.0
4. National Basketball Association (NBA)$8.0
5. English Premier League $5.3
6. National Hockey League (NHL) $4.8
7. La Liga $4.5
8. Bundesliga $4.3
9. Serie ‘A’ $2.3
10. UEFA Champions League $2.0
So, as a vehicle to hitch its trailer to, it would appear that Cricket South Africa has chosen wisely. An entire national sporting code which was within a season of insolvency has landed itself the sugar daddy of all rescue packages which will wipe out its debts and generate almost as much income every year as it has generated in its best years before.
The six team owners will pay annual ‘license fees’ of between $3million and $1.5 each to the new South African League over a 10-year period amounting to income in excess of $150 million. Interestingly, had the Global League T20 not been cancelled at the last minute five years ago at a cost of around R250 million, it was set to generate income of over $300 million from its eight Franchises with Bloemfontein and Benoni also included. So this is not the financial boon it might have been.
There were concerns that the GLT20 might leave CSA exposed to the whims and demands of eight independent Franchise investors, that CSA might ‘lose control’ of their new league. Those concerns are no longer. With eight independents (only three of whom were IPL) there was the chance of discussion and negotiation. With all six Franchises in the new league being IPL owners, there is no chance of CSA controlling the league. IPL Franchises may be competitive with each other, but they know and accept that working together is in each other’s best interests.
There should be no assumption or even suggestion that the six IPL Franchises which have purchased South Africa’s new league have no interest or care for the game in the country. They have all agreed to sponsor social outreach and development programmes with complete sincerity and will whole-heartedly embrace local supporters with enticing deals to attend matches and join the ‘family’. There will be a lot of that, and hopefully it is successful.
The new Franchise teams will not attach themselves to their chosen provincial venues, instead they will do whatever necessary to encourage their hosts to attach themselves to them. ‘We are not the new you, you are the new us.’ When the 2009 IPL was hosted in SA some corporate hospitality box-owners were denied access to their personalised, pride-and-joy suites of 30 years standing. “The stadium is ours now, all of it.” And fair enough. They paid the money.
CSA may own 57.5% of the league but without the cash to back it up they are largely powerless. They are dependent on the new Franchises and the team owners know it. CSA will be able to fund and administer its domestic game but they will cede autonomous control of even that.
Dewald Brevis scored 112 off 49 balls for the ‘Reliance’ Cricket Team this week, against Durham 2nd XI, in England. Who even knew? Reliance is effectively a Mumbai Indians ‘B’ team. They own him and he is happy to be owned by them. He is the first of many young South African players who will become IPL players first, foremost and all-but completely. Brevis will be ‘loaned’ back to the (South African) Titans for a couple of matches here and there, when appropriate.
The SA IPL Franchises won’t merely cherry-pick the best SA talent. They will nurture it before picking. All six will fund and run academies because they see and understand the depth and potential in the country, and they will genuinely want South African cricket to benefit from their endeavours. But they will get first pick.
The structure and racial composition of the starting XIs in CSA’s domestic competitions had no chance with independent investors. As much as they might understand and agree with CSA’s wholistic objectives, they are only likely to agree to a ‘no all-white’ team selection policy. The grossly inappropriate presupposition that racial quotas these days may weaken teams is irrelevant to IPL teams. They are in it to win it. And, they say, they will develop their own black cricketers.
The new world is upon us. It has been for years but perhaps the focus is just sharpening. There is still hope for the ‘old world’ of Test Cricket but, it is fading. And I have run out of words. Perhaps we can do that next week.
Great article
There’s a theme developing over your last few pieces. First how test cricket is being reimagined by Stokes and Mccullum. Then the relevance to CSA of ODIs in general and the world cup in particular.
And it all comes down to the IPL’s World Domination. Who could blame SA players for taking advantage of the shop window afforded by a T20 tournament, with the possibility of riches to come. Or CSA for replenishing their depleted coffers.
Those top two media money spinners (NFL & IPL) have something in common besides each having 3 letters in their names: the length of games is elastic. And this allows for more ad breaks. And more revenue… And that is the IPL.
Soon, the wall containing the sponsor names will be visible from space.
And in the commentary box, while Matthew Hayden explains for the umpteenth time the theory of match-ups, the hype generated by his co-commentators will reach criticality and the ubiquitous Simon Doull will spontaneously combust, creating two identical versions of himself, allowing each to commentate on a different game. Graham Swann will only speak whilst doing his impression of Viv Richards and Kevin Peterson will laugh hysterically at nothing. Danny Morrison will follow the ball as it escapes earth’s gravitational pull and Sunil Gavaskar will calmly state: that was genius. Only Harsha Bhogle will retain any semblance of not having sold-out.
And at that stage we will have achieved peak IPL. The season will last so long that we are still in the play-offs when the next tournament begins.
The ECB, meanwhile, will decide that The Hundred isn’t generating sufficient revenue and invent yet another unnecessary and uncalled for format, based around players meeting in the middle of the pitch and bumping gloves. But this time with 4.75 ball overs.
At last, cricket 24/7/365. And when their country asks the England players if perhaps they’d like a weekend break in Pakistan to play a couple of internationals by way of thanks to the Pakistani team for touring England during lockdown, they say they are too mentally fatigued after 6 weeks living in an IPL bubble.
I love cricket. I like T20. On a rainy April London afternoon, a bit of IPL is a nice distraction. But I am not invested in any of the teams - sorry, franchises. And let’s be honest, how many games are really that memorable? I like strawberry ice cream, but not every day for every meal. I need a palate cleanser before preparing myself for five days of what is now known as red ball cricket.
A few years ago a friend asked me why I didn’t have Sky Sports (UK). I told him that there was so much cricket being played throughout the world, I may never leave my home. I have since succumbed, but do get out from time to time.
Yes, you can have too much of anything.