JOIN USZonal team franchises handed official ownership
After handing over of the documents that started with Brigade Enterprises -- winners of the Bangalore Urban team for Rs 7.2 crore -- receiving their papers, KSCA Secretary Brijesh Patel in brief educated the eight franchises about the initial work they had to do.
“I congratulate those who had won the bids but I can assure that there’s a lot of work still to be done. There is a big responsibility on both us (KSCA and franchises) as to take the game forward and how you are going to develop the game in your respective areas. We are there to help you out with all the problems you might face,” he noted.
Patel also asked all the owners to come up as quickly as possible with team logo, theme song, clothing, coaches and other support staff as there is not much time for the tournament to begin. It is learnt that the event, which earlier was scheduled to be held from Sept 12 is likely to be advanced to Sept 9.
In tune with the BCCI’s Indian Premier League, which has a heady mix of Bollywood and cricket, Patel hoped KPL too will have its own share of glamour. “The teams are also free to have film stars as their brand ambassadors and cheer girls,” he remarked.
It’s not all been hunky dory for the KPL.
Besides its own organisational hiccups, the idea of a franchise-owned T20 league at the State-level came in for flak from Anil Kumble and Javagal Srinath.
Patel though tried to put the ‘controversy’ in perspective in his own way. “There have been some controversies in the run up to the league, but I think, as the President (Srikantadatta Narasimharaja Wadiyar) says, it all adds up to the entire charm of the event,” he quipped.
The player auction for the tournament will be held on August 14 and Patel said the list of 48 players to go under the hammer will released to the team owners on Friday.
Meanwhile, Mysore Zone franchise Shreesh Autos announced that the player of the tournament will be given a a Mahindra four-wheeler.