In a recent interview with Reuters, the chairman of the Indian Premier League (IPL), Arun Singh Dhumal, stated that the league will maintain its position as the premier Twenty20 game in the globe despite the proliferation of competitions based on franchises in other parts of the world.
The Indian Premier League (IPL), whose brand value is estimated to be $8.4 billion, continues to draw the best players and coaches in the world by offering the type of prize money that Twenty20 tournaments in Australia and England can only dream of.
However, the scene is shifting as lucrative leagues begin play in the United Arab Emirates and South Africa this year, and as the United States prepares to launch Major League Cricket the following month.
Dhumal was sure that the Indian Premier League will continue to be the dominant force in franchise cricket, despite the fact that players now have more options than ever before over where to take their skills.
He gave an interview to Reuters over the phone in which he stated, “We don’t see anyone else as our competition, there is none even close to IPL.”
“Our best wishes go out to all of the boards that are starting their own T20 leagues, but I don’t think any of them can be a threat to the IPL.”
This year’s Indian Premier League (IPL), which came to a close on Monday, garnered impressive audience statistics, particularly from the league’s digital partner, which contributed to Dhumal’s conviction.
In a statement released on Wednesday, Jio Cinema stated that more over 120 million unique viewers had tuned in to see Chennai Super Kings triumph against Gujarat Titans in an exciting final, with a high concurrency of 32.1 million.
Dhumal continued by saying, “It has been a phenomenal success, and a large part of that success is due to the extreme competitiveness of this year’s tournament.”
“The majority of the matches were decided in the nick of time, and there were a plethora of nail-biting finishes. The reception that we got from the crowd was really incredible. Our broadcast and digital partners are also delighted about the tremendous growth in viewership that we have experienced.
Even the experience that fans get while they are inside the stadiums has been great, and as time goes on, it is just going to become better.
Since its debut in 2008, the Indian Premier League (IPL) has maintained an unwavering level of popularity, which may be attributed in part to the stance of the Indian cricket board (BCCI), which prohibits its own players from competing in leagues outside of India.
Dhumal has said that there would continue to be ten teams competing in the Indian Premier League (IPL). However, the number of matches that are played during each season might increase to 94 from the present 74 if the governing body of cricket, the International Cricket Council (ICC), gives it a larger window in the schedule that it creates.
Although the Indian Premier League (IPL) provides life-changing money for the majority of its players, the worldwide cricketers’ union has demanded that players get a larger percentage of the cash generated by the league.
Dhumal, on the other hand, stated that there had been no conversations regarding raising the pay ceiling of any club from 11.5 million dollars.
Before making a decision, he stated that “we will have to consult the franchises and team owners.”
There will need to be a great deal of debate before anything of the kind can take place, and we still have ten months until the next Indian Premier League tournament.
Dhumal, who is also a top BCCI official, shot down allegations in the media that the Indian Premier League was intending to host matches in Saudi Arabia or to assist the oil-rich kingdom in setting up its own Twenty20 league. Dhumal is also a senior official with the BCCI.
Dhumal stated that it is the responsibility of the ICC to expand cricket outside its traditional strongholds. “In the past, the BCCI has assisted various nations, but any talk of a Twenty20 league being played in Saudi Arabia is purely speculative at this point.”