We are currently in the 17th edition of the Indian Premier League, IPL 2024. However, IPL’s journey from its modest beginnings to becoming the world’s most popular cricket league is a remarkable tale of vision and triumph. The roots of the IPL can be traced back to the mid-1990s when Lalit Modi initially proposed the concept of an Indian Cricket League.
The idea was to establish a 50-over cricket tournament featuring city-based teams owned privately, comprising both Indian and foreign cricketers. These matches would be played under floodlights and receive extensive television coverage, providing entertainment for four to six weeks annually. However, it wasn’t until 2007 that the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) finally embraced the proposal.
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Credits to BCCI: Lalit Modi
Lalit Modi, serving as the Vice President of the BCCI from 2005 to 2010, made significant contributions to the advancement of Indian cricket during his tenure. The IPL, his brainchild, has since evolved into the most successful T20 league globally. Despite not being directly involved in the league anymore, Lalit Modi, known for his criticisms of the Indian Cricket Board, acknowledges the commendable efforts of the BCCI in elevating the IPL to unprecedented heights.
“The IPL has grown to be the world’s best sports league and has a valuation second to none, and one has to say the BCCI has done a fantastic job with it. The new group in the BCCI, who are running the show now, has got it right. They have taken games to newer cities and markets and opened up the entire country to the IPL. ” said Lalit Modi speaking to Rev Sportz.
“That’s how you bring in newer constituencies of people within the fold of the tournament and it has been great to see them do that. When I sit here in Austria and see fans from across the country get behind the tournament, I have to say I am thrilled and a lot of credit must go to the BCCI for taking the tournament ahead and making it bigger and better,” he added.
Lalit Modi suggests secondary IPL-like leagues
On being asked if he had envisioned any innovations for the IPL, Modi suggested that rather than the BCCI, it’s the team owners who should drive innovation. He emphasized the untapped potential in merchandising and proposed collaboration among owners to establish a centralized IPL store. Additionally, he recommended improving collectively.
“Innovation not so much from the BCCI, but more from the team owners. Now, most teams have a strong fan base. And yet, merchandising hasn’t really taken off. I would want to see the team owners come together and work on merchandising.” Modi said.
“It is an opportunity lost. They should open a centralised IPL store and take the story forward. Even ticketing is something the team owners can improve on. Rather than doing their own things, they should do things collectively,” he added.
For the BCCI, Modi proposed considering a secondary league in tier-two and tier-three cities during the September-October window, possibly with promotion to the IPL for the winner, outlining potential future directions for the tournament.
“For the BCCI, maybe they should now think of a secondary league in tier-two and tier-three cities. That’s where the appetite is and that’s where you should take the tournament. Use the September-October window earmarked for the Champions League for this. May be even think if the winner can be promoted to the IPL for the next season. That’s where the BCCI can go with the tournament the next few years” he concluded.
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