Sports League in India

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Sports League in India
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Sports League in India
IPL
The Indian Premier League (IPL; currently known as the Pepsi Indian Premier League for
sponsorship reasons) is an annual Indian Twenty20 cricket tournament, founded in 2008 by the
BCCI. It is contested between eight franchisee teams representing various Indian cities. The
tournament is conducted in India between April and May.
IPL is the most-watched Twenty20 league in the world and in 2010, became the first sporting
event to be broadcast live on YouTube. The brand value of the 2014 Indian Premier League was
estimated to be around US$7.2 billion.
Of the 11 teams to have competed since its inception, five have won the title at least once:
Kolkata Knight Riders, Chennai Super Kings and Mumbai Indians have won twice while
Rajasthan Royals and Deccan Chargers have won one each. The Chennai Super Kings are the
most successful team having won the title twice and having qualified for the finals in every
season except in 2009 and 2014 . Chennai have also reached the playoffs in every season since
the league's inception. The current champions of the IPL 2015 season are the Mumbai Indians
who beat the Chennai Super Kings by a margin of 41 runs in the final, held at the Eden Gardens
Kolkata on May 24, 2015.
Franchises
The winning bidders for the eight franchises (or clubs) were announced on 24 January 2008.
While the total base price for auction was US$400 million, the auction fetched US$723.59
million. Chennai Super Kings, Delhi Daredevils, Kings XI Punjab, Kolkata Knight Riders,
Mumbai Indians, Rajasthan Royals, Royal Challengers Bangalore and Deccan Chargers were the
founding clubs of the new professional league.
On 21 March 2010, teams from Pune (Pune Warriors India) and Kochi (Kochi Tuskers Kerala)
were unveiled as the two new clubs for the fourth edition of the Indian Premier League. The base
price was $225 million. While Pune was bought by Sahara Adventure Sports Group for $370
million, the Kochi franchise was bought by Rendezvous Sports World Limited for $333.3
million. The second franchise auction fetched total $703 million.
The rights to the new Hyderabad franchise were awarded to the Sun TV Network in
October 2012.
Television rights
On 17 January 2008 it was announced that a consortium consisting of India's Sony Entertainment
Television(Set Max) network and Singapore-based World Sport Group secured the global
broadcasting rights of the Indian Premier League. The record deal has a duration of ten years at a
cost of US$1.026 billion. As part of the deal, the consortium will pay the BCCI US$918 million
for the television broadcast rights and US$108 million for the promotion of the tournament. The

initial plan was for 20% of these proceeds would go to IPL, 8% as prize money and 72% would
be distributed to the franchisees from 2008 until 2012, after which the IPL would go public and
list its shares. However, in March 2010, IPL decided not to go public and list its shares. Sony-
WSG then re-sold parts of the broadcasting rights geographically to other companies.
Revenue and profits
The UK-based brand consultancy, Brand Finance, has valued the IPL at $4.13 billion
in 2010. It was valued at US$2.01 billion in 2009 by the same consultancy. There are
disputed figures for the profitability of the teams. One analyst said that four teams
out of the eight made a profit in 2009. While The Times said that all but Kings XI
Punjab made a profit. In 2010, the IPL expects to have 80 official merchandising
deals. It has signed a deal with Swiss watchmaker Bandelier to make official watches
for the IPL.
IPL Spot-Fixing Controversy
On May 16, 2013 IPL met its biggest crisis when Delhi Police arrested three Rajasthan
Royals players - Sreesanth, Ajit Chandila and Ankeet Chavan - soon after their match in
Mumbai for spot-fixing. Eleven bookies were also arrested at that time, including one - Amit
Singh - who was a former Royals player. Royals later suspended their players and the BCCI
set up an inquiry, headed by its ACSU chief Ravi Sawani, into the allegations. The board also
announced enhanced anti-corruption measures, including two more security personnel
with each team. The arrests kicked off a nationwide search and arrest of bookmakers -
betting is illegal in India. One of those picked up in Mumbai was a small-time actor,
Virender "Vindoo" Dara Singh, arrested on charges of links with bookmakers. His testimony
led the police to arrest, on May 24, 2013, Gurunath Meiyappan, a top official of Chennai
Super Kings and son-in-law of BCCI president N Srinivasan. Delhi Police eventually
chargesheeted the players, among 39 persons, under sections of the Indian Penal Code and
the Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act, while the BCCI handed out life bans to
Sreesanth and Chavan after Sawani's probe found them guilty of fixing.
The ills and benefits of IPL
Perceptions about the Indian Premier League have a schizophrenic touch. It is either the
spotlight-grabber for unheralded players like Swapnil Asnodkar and Paul Valthaty or it is fame's
dark alley that leads you astray. As usual, truth is lost in the middle.
Since 2008, the league has unveiled frenzied chases and whipped up shrill debates about after-
match parties. Amidst the cacophony, the IPL's few but fine contributions cannot be overlooked.
1.Exposure, money and camaraderie that briefly erases jingoism, are intrinsic to the league.

2.A match-winning performance equally lures brand managers and selectors. For instance, Shane
Watson revived his international career thanks to his exploits with Rajasthan Royals.
3.the phenomenal money on offer helps lower middle-class lads afford flats in the central
business districts of India's metros while also helping a Chris Gayle keep his home-fires burning
during his recent spat with the West Indies Cricket Board.
Bolstering self-belief
4.Most importantly, the constant dismantling of inflationary run-rates has bolstered self-belief in
batsmen. “When we have to chase 120 from 20 overs, we think it is no run,” Shakib al Hasan
said recently in Dhaka. The all-rounder was referring to the positive influence of his nation's
latest indulgence — the Bangladesh Premier League (BPL) — but those are words that hold true
for the IPL too.
Men like Virat Kohli, who refuse to blink at a 300-plus score and it is obvious that the league
has helped batsmen break targets into miniscule portions and take it one hurried step at a time.
A few years back, a picture of Mathew Hayden and Suresh Raina having a laugh and enjoying
their play-station stints, did the rounds. It proved that their time with Chennai Super Kings had
helped them leap across national divides.
Similiarly, warring rivals Shane Warne and Graeme Smith developed mutual respect while
playing for Rajasthan Royals and the frost thawed a wee-bit when Harbhajan Singh and Andrew
Symonds turned out for Mumbai Indians.
Distractions
5.The league though is not just about performance, money and feel-good friendships. It also tests
a young player's ability to withstand the distractions of the fame-factory.
“It is important to stay grounded and not have a swollen head,” Sachin Tendulkar said at the
party hosted by industrialist Mukesh Ambani. It is a line that holds good for some cricketers who
lose their sanity in IPL's fancy frills.
Limelight often causes an athlete's first stumble and in his autobiography ‘Open', Andre Agassi
wrote about his initial years: “I am an adolescent who has seen too much, a man-child without a
checking account.”
6.Venkatesh Prasad, who has seamlessly moved from playing to coaching, observed: “The IPL is
a fantastic opportunity for young cricketers but a true test of a player's ability is in the longer
format of the game.
“There is a tendency among young players to think about playing in the IPL and then hoping that
this will help them to play for the country.

“Youngsters should play first class cricket for a minimum of three years before they can think
about playing for the country. There is also the glamour factor in IPL in which a player gets to
rub shoulders with a Shah Rukh Khan.
“Name and fame is assured but that should not affect the bigger dream of playing for the
country.”
7.The IPL has also chewed up the seasonal break during April and May in Indian cricket. Players
are spreading themselves thin across all formats and with no off-season, a burnout is a lurking
tragedy despite the altruistic expectations of cricket administrators to spread the game to nations
like China and Morocco.
Until then relish your memories of the extended careers of men like Rahul Dravid and
Tendulkar.
Rise and fall of brand IPL
Within a decade of reaching stratospheric heights in its inaugural year, the Indian Premier
League has fallen from one new depth to another into what appears to be a bottomless hole.
Order of the Supreme Court-appointed Lodha Committee to suspend two top teams that have
won the cash-awash T20 Leagues in the past, Chennai Super Kings and Rajasthan Royals, for
two years from the T20 competition is yet another body blow not only to the IPL’s brand name
but also to its owners, the Cricket Board (BCCI).
It was in 2008, in the aftermath of India’s disastrous World Cup campaign in the West Indies
followed by the floating of a rival T20 League — the Indian Cricket League — by the Essel
Group, that the BCCI finally decided to start its own T20 League and appointed Lalit Modi, who
conceptualised it, as its top boss.
The carte blanche given to Mr. Modi by the BCCI had its upswings as well as downswings as the
suave former IPL Commissioner made it the hottest property in the game with his innovative
ideas in conjunction with marketing partners — IMG.
The IPL blasted off in its first year to uncharted highs even before the start of the competition.
The sale of its eight franchise teams by the BCCI for hundreds of millions of dollars caught the
fancy of the cricket world.
This was followed by the unprecedented player auction when Mahendra Singh Dhoni became the
first ever million-dollar buy in world cricket with CSK, owned by India Cements, bidding
successfully to buy the Ranchi-born wicket keeper batsman, increased the awe further.
The auction, held in Mumbai, saw friends-turned-foes Mr. Modi and N. Srinivasan, the then
treasurer and CMD of India Cements that had bought CSK after a subtle change had been

effected to the BCCI’s Memorandum of Rules and Regulations, addressing the media at the
auction with beaming faces.
Trouble started from the second year of the tournament itself as it had to be held off shores, in
South Africa, as its dates clashed with the country’s general elections.
The end of the 2010 edition — held in India after a one year gap — saw Mr. Modi being thrown
out of not only the IPL but also from the BCCI for life for alleged financial irregularities.
Mr. Modi, accused of violating government regulations in the running of the IPL, then went to
London where he is based now citing threats to his life from the underworld.
One of the original franchises — Deccan Chargers — made its exit after a few years to be
replaced by the Sun Risers Hyderabad while two new franchises bought for huge amounts —
Kerala Tuskers and Sahara Pune Warriors — were disbanded by the BCCI for non-compliance
of IPL rules.
On the field also controversies have chased the T20 League.
The slapgate involving Harbhajan Singh and S. Sreesanth in the inaugural edition, was followed
by spot-fixing allegations in 2013 when three Royals players were alleged to have indulged in
corrupting the game — including Sreesanth and Mumbai left arm spinner Ankit Chavan — and
were banned for life by the BCCI.
This was followed by the allegations of betting during IPL by two team owners — Gurunath
Meiyappan of CSK and Raj Kundra of Royals —which has culminated in them being banned for
life by the Lodha Committee and the suspension of the two IPL teams for a couple of years from
the competition.
On Monday, the BCCI also suspended Mumbai Ranji Trophy player Hiken Shah from playing
any form of cricket after finding him guilty of “approaching” a teammate (Pravin Tambe) to
corrupt the IPL.
The IPL Governing Council has a huge task in hand to not only restore the image of the T20
League’s brand but also to decide on the future of the tournament which now has been left with
only six teams for 2016 and 2017.
The GC will have to decide whether to call for fresh tenders for two new teams to fill in the
breach or tweak the format and play with six teams.
The suspension order could not have come at a worse time for the two franchises as post 2017
none of the original franchise teams need to pay a rupee to the BCCI as participation money
which would increase their profitability.

IPL impact: 5 new sports leagues come up in 18 months, non-cricket sports have no
dearth of sponsors
If Pepsi's latest commercial, 'change the game', prods people to switch from cricket to football, it
hints at a fundamental shift in the way the cola major plans to use sports as a brand-building
platform. It feeds off - and feeds into - a fundamental change happening in the Indian sporting
landscape.
Inspired by the success of the Indian Premier League (IPL) in cricket, almost every sport with
some following in India is launching a city-based, professional league. Five new professional
leagues have been announced in the last 18 months and, word is, two others are being revived.
"The Indian sports consumer is looking for entertainment, diversion, passion and emotion," says
Shailendra Singh, joint managing director, Percept India, which is behind the Indian Boxing
League (IBL). "League sport will ensure that." But for leagues to become a permanent fixture,
something only the IPL has managed so far, paramount is drawing sponsors and advertisers. If
the initial response is any indication, sponsors of many hues are warming to them. Hero
Motocorp is making big investments in hockey, the Mahindra Group in basketball, and the
ongoing World Series Hockey (WSH) has Bridgestone and Vodafone among its sponsors.
"Those chasing cricket will have to move to a life beyond it," says Sanjay Sharma, head of JK
Motorsport. "The canvas has to enlarge for brand marketers as cricket won't continue to enjoy
the status it does." Besides cricket fatigue and the gathering momentum of other sports, there are
three reasons why marketers and sponsors are gravitating towards these new leagues.
Low-risk investment
The new leagues offer a low-cost proposition. Unlike cricket, they don't have to put a lot at stake.
CVL Srinivas, chairman of Starcom MediaVest India, a global communication & media services
group, says while sports is a good medium for brands to connect to the youth, the most popular
of them, cricket, poses an entry barrier for many advertisers. "Many advertisers today see cricket
as overpriced," he says. "Emerging new leagues could give them an opportunity to enter sports in
some way at a much lower cost."
Four years ago, when Bridgestone considered IPL as a medium for brand communication, it was
put off by the price tags for premium rights. For example, DLF pays 40 crore per year to be the
title sponsor of IPL. So, Bridgestone made a modest entry into cricket as a co-sponsor of IPL
team Mumbai Indians. The decision to become the title sponsor for the ongoing World Series
Hockey (WSH) came easy.
The investment was low: Bridgestone is paying 2 crore per year in a three-year deal. And it gives
the tyre company an opportunity to target North India, a market where hockey is popular and
where Bridgestone was weak. "South India has always been our strong market and our

association with Mumbai Indians is good enough to deliver there," explains Vaibhav Saraf, GM
(sales & marketing), Bridgestone India.
Similarly, a 10-second spot on IPL cost 4-5 lakh, but just one-tenth on WSH. "Returns in non-
cricket sports would be much lower," qualifies Srinivas. Even then, the cost value equation
works just fine for Bridgestone. "Even if our return on investment (RoI) from WSH is 10 crore
worth of media mileage, we are happy," says Saraf.
Besides Bridgestone, the other principal sponsors of WSH are Vodafone and Imperial Blue
(Pernod Ricard India). "We evaluate all sponsorship proposals on a cost per reach and level of
consumer engagement possible," says Anuradha Aggarwal, senior vice-president-consumer
insights & communications, Vodafone. "The WSH was efficient on both." The early days of
WSH have seen modest to half-filled stadiums.
"Hockey is still not a proven sport, we are building it," says Yannick Colaco, chief operating
officer of Nimbus Sports, the promoter of WSH. "Some leagues in the past haven't delivered,
which is likely to make sponsors and advertiser sceptical for any new league." Colaco claims the
league has booked 15 brands on-air in the first week.
He expects this number to increase to 40-50 by the time the tournament ends on April 2, yielding
50-60 crore from sponsorship and advertising revenues. "WSH is not here to topple cricket, but
we hope to make it a strong number two property before we enter the second season," he says,
adding that marketers will have to have "realistic expectations" during early days and come in
with a "long-term vision."
Proof Of Concept
One factor that gives the new leagues a greater chance is how they are structured. They follow
the IPL model, which is city-based and essentially pays for itself by riding on a big TV rights
sale. "IPL has proven that city loyalties exist, which has prepared the ground for other
professional sporting leagues to take off," says Darshan M, CEO of Machdar Motorsports,
promoters of i1Super Car Race Series.
The Rise of Professional Sports Leagues in India
The success of Indian Premier League Has led to the rise of numerous professional sports
leagues in India. Here’s a plotting of the franchises in these leagues.
Indian Badminton League
First Season: 2013
No of Teams: 6
Past Winners: Hyderabad Hotshots

Franchises: Hyderabad Hotshots, Banga Beats, Pune Pistons, Mumbai Masters, Awadhe
Warriors, Delhi Smashers
2013 Indian Badminton League was the first season of Indian Badminton League and 2014
Indian Badminton League will be the second edition, Indian Badminton League is the richest
badminton league in the world with 6 franchises representing the Indian cities of Delhi
Smashers,Mumbai Masters,Banga Beats,Pune Pistons,Hyderabad HotShots and Awadhe
Warriors,
Golf Premier League
First Season: 2013
No. of teams: 8
Past Winners: Uttarakhand Lions
Franchises: Colombo Sixes, Delhi Darts, Gujarat Underdawgs, Punjab Lancers, Maharashtra
59ers, Subhkamna Uttar Pradesh Eagles, Tamil Nadu Pullees, Uttarakhand Lions
Golf Premier League is an Indian league with franchise based model consist of one international
golfer, one Indian golfer, one from one Asian tour and one from golf tour of India. The
followling eight teams took part in golf premier league Colombo Sixes,Delhi Darts,Gujarat
Underdawgs, Maharashtra 59ers, Punjab Lancers, Subhkamna Uttar Pradesh Eagles, Tamil Nadu
Pullees and Uttarkhand Lions.
Indian Super League
First Season: September- November 2014
No. of teams: 8
Past winners: -
Franchises: North East United FC, Atletico de Kolkata, Kerala Blasters FC, Bangalore, Goa,
Pune, Mumbai, Delhi
Elite Football League of India
First Season: 2012-13
No. of teams: 8
Past Winners: Pune Marathas
Franchises: Pune Marathas, Delhi Defenders, Pakistan Wolfpak, Kolkata Vipers, Bangalore
Warhawks, Colombo Lions, Kandy Skykings, Mumbai Gladiators

ProKabaddi League
First Season: July 2014
No. of teams: 8
Past winners:-
Franchises: Bengal Warriors, Bengaluru Bulls, Delhi, Jaipur Pink Panthers, Patna Pirates,
Puneri Paltan, Telugu Titans, U Mumba
Hockey India League
First Season: 2013
No. of teams: 6
Past Winners: Ranchi Rhinos, Delhi Waveriders
Franchises: Delhi Waveriders, Kalinga Lancers, Mumbai Magicians, Punjab Warriors, Ranchi
Rhinos, Uttar Pradesh Wizards
Indian Athletics League
Indian Athletics League is a proposed league in India with same concept of franchise based
model and will have 8 to 10 franchise with each having 2 or 3 foreign players for both Men and
Women.
Indian Racing League
Indian Racing League also known as i1 Super Series is proposed single-make, single-seater
sports car racing series and races will be held at FIA approved motorsport circuits around Asia.
Indian Volley League
Indian Volleyball League is a professional franchise based model for volleyball competition in
India, featured six teams involving all the top players in the country. Indian Volley League teams
will be Chennai Spikers,Hyderabad Chargers,Karnataka Bulls,Kerala Killers,Maratha Warriors
and Yanam Tigers. Image Source:volleyballindia
Indian Wrestling League
The IPL-style Indian Wrestling League is scheduled in November 2014, Indian Wrestling
League will have six teams from six different cities in India. The eight teams on short list are
Delhi,Mohali,Hissar,Mumbai / Pune, Lucknow ,Ranchi and Kolkata. Image source
:globalgujaratnews

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