The victory in the CB Series certainly seems to have proved that the young Indian team is the world leader in the short-format of cricket. Well, all the better for us, because talking about shorter format games, we will soon have another interesting series to look out for. The India Premier League (IPL), which has lately been in the news for its players auction which saw exorbitant amounts of money come in, is the latest addition to cricket. While the format and its benefits are being discussed, one of the major points is definitely the official entry of corporates and wealthy individuals into the game.
The CEO of Bangalore’s IPL team - Bangalore Royal Challengers - Charu Sharma says, “All over the world there are certainly a lot of advantages of the corporates coming into sports. The kind of money and publicity they bring in for a sport is unparalleled. The benefit will definitely be value to the game. On the other hand one must remember that corporate support does not come without strings attached and we need to be watchful about this. Corporates need returns and need to know where their money is going. So the game might have to fit into a bracket of deliverability. They need tangible results and to a certain extent I think we will have to comply, in terms of anything - from the time they need from the cricketers to the ad space. This might actually bring in professionalism but one needs to watch out. They need to understand that in sports returns are not fixed, a good team may not perform well in a couple of matches, one can’t determine the outcome of a sports event and I guess these are things that will be worked out in the course of time.”
Brijesh Patel, general secretary of the Karnataka State Cricket Association, is supportive of the corporates coming in, “They can pump in money and this has numerous advantages. This will certainly help the associations because it will mean better facilities and infrastructure. It’s great for the players because they will have the best physios, trainers and equipment. The younger players will have a much better exposure because they will be playing with international players.”
The Bangalore team is owned by Vijay Mallya (UB Group). Says Amrit Thomas, Executive Vice President – Marketing, United Spirits Limited, “History has it that we have invested in all our sports associations (the group also supports Golf, Derby horse racing, Football and Motorsport) to develop the game further and put it on a par with any international sporting event. For us, it’s not only an opportunity to promote our brand but also provide multiple platforms to youngsters to showcase their talents and compelling entertainment to consumers. It’s a win-win situation for all the stakeholders: we as a corporate, our brands, the sport itself and of course, the consumers. IPL has already revolutionised the way cricket is being promoted and played and more importantly, it is in sync with our vision of making cricket a lifestyle sport.”
