Once again IPL ...
Yesterday, 3rd of April 2012, 5th Indian Premier League
(IPL) began in Chennai where Bollywood superstars Salman Khan, Kareena Kapoor
and American pop sensation Katy Perry were the highlights of a lengthy opening
ceremony of the fifth IPL, which failed to live up to its high
expectations on Tuesday night despite the huge glamour quotient.
Although there was no dearth of star power with megastar Amitabh Bachchan, Priyanka Chopra, Prabhu Deva attending the opening nite, it still drew a lacklustre response from the nearly 15,000 spectators who had gathered at the YMCA College of Physical Education.
Even the attempts by the organizers to cheer up the crowd failed to enthuse the audience who were subjected to a typical Bollywood style entertainment but without much verve and spirit.
Major issue is, DLF is not
keen on investing any more in IPL. The title sponsor DLF is considering
pulling out from the next years' IPL.
As we know earlier this year BCCI faced similar sort of problem
with Sahara Company's Sponsorship to Indian National Cricket Team.
And this time only 9 teams are
participating, where Kochi Tuskers who played fighting game were
kicked out of this time, due to going up above the tournament rules and
regulations.
.jpg)
Even in the past IPL's, some players got banned due to their misbehave and misconduct of IPL laws, as well as some country players were not granted permission to participate in the IPL series even. There were many senior and junior cricketers who were not bought by any team.
During the recent past, IPL faced many issues related to Lalit Kumar Modi, the former Chairman and Commissioner of the Indian Premier League and the former Chairman of the Champions League, who was the in-charge for the first 3 IPL tournaments (2008 to 2010), regarding the team bidding process, auctions, misusing the mishandling the the properties and match fixing.
In 2008, Lalit Modi was instrumental in launching the Indian Premier League (IPL), and was one of the architects of this Twenty20 cricket league. He also engineered the Indian Premier League's move to South Africa in 2009 after the dates of the tournament clashed with the Indian general election.
The commercial success of the Indian Premier League and Modi's control
of the league has led to him being compared to Don King and Bernie
Ecclestone, and once he was adjudged as the 2nd most powerful person in Indian Sports.
This supremo power made him to do illegal acts with the aid of money and authority.
This supremo power made him to do illegal acts with the aid of money and authority.
In 2010, Modi oversaw the bidding process and creation of two new teams in the Indian Premier League. Pune and Kochi were declared the new franchises. A Twitter entry by Modi declaring the stakeholders of the Kochi IPL Team allegedly breaching confidentiality agreements led to the resignation of the then Indian Minister of State for External Affairs Dr. Shashi Tharoor.
Modi was then suspended as Chairman and Commissioner of the IPL in April 2010. A suspension notice and a 34-page letter stating 22 charges of impropriety were served via email to Modi. He publicly protested his innocence immediately after the 2010 Indian Premier League Final had been played.
An income tax department report on Modi has revealed that he holds a
silent stake in three IPL teams - the Rajasthan Royals, Mumbai Indians
and Kings XI Punjab.
Furthermore, there are questions as to whether Modi was involved in match fixing and betting in Indian Premier League games. He is also under fire for helping his family and friends buy stakes in Indian Premier League teams.
In March 2012 New Zealand cricketer Chris Cairns
successfully sued Modi for libel, after Modi posted on Twitter in 2010
that Cairns had been involved in match-fixing during 2008. Cairns won
costs and damage.
And when we look at the advertising and marketing side, upto yesterday 40% of
ad slots on SET Max, the official broadcaster for IPL, remains
unsold...!!!
Bollywood, which in the past had been avoiding releasing movies
during the IPL season, is shedding its cricket phobia and clearly going out
with 22 film releases during the 5th leagues' 2 month schedule.
So it is clear that IPL is facing so many major problems and no longer as hot as it used to be...!!!
But the organizers and BCCI denied any
crisis.
“I don’t think there is any cricket fatigue. Everything is fine and response to everything is great. The answer will come once the tournament gets underway.” said Sundar Raman, CEO, IPL.
Even in the first clash of this season that took place in Chennai today, between home team Chennai Super Kings who are the current champions and power-house Mumbai Indians was witnessed by the audience who filled only the 2/3rd of the stadium seats. So this clearly indicates the authority that the popularity of the league has started shading dramatically.
Though since 2007/08, IPL has grown into one of the world's biggest sports, worth over US$ 4 billion, it is hard to predict what is going to happen to IPL in future. But, definitely its not going to be a 'MONEY GAME',
any more... !!!
REFERENCE
