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Palash tells us that digitalisation and commercialisation of IPL has made cricket a money spinner. An exclusive for Different Truths.
The cricket world was taken by storm by its upgrade. The introduction of T-20 was a major milestone, something that changed the cricket scenario in the world. It was an exciting format that increased the rush of adrenaline not only for spectators, but also for the players. Then came the Indian Premier League (IPL), a bliss for upcoming young cricketers, who wanted to showcase their talent in this format of the game. It was, and is, a money spinner.
The kind of appreciation one can get by playing four to five years in Ranji is passé, now. A super hit session in one season of the IPL ensures that you knock on the door of the national team.
The kind of appreciation one can get by playing four to five years in Ranji is passé, now.
Now, the world has gone virtual. Previously, you had to go to the stadium to watch cricket live, if not be glued to the TV set to watch a live cricket match. Well, that’s not the case anymore now. You can log into Hotstar. With a yearly subscription you may watch cricket live from any place, anywhere, at any time. The reason being OTT platforms have changed the definition of entertainment in such a way that a day may perhaps come when the TV might become obsolete.
Advertisement is a major source of income in IPL, a platform that the entire nation watches. It is a huge scope of income for investors, media, corporate houses, and of course the cricketers who steal the show. The format of the game has become in such a way that it is more of a business setup and less of a cricketing aura and beauty. Back in the 1980’s, people sitting in the crowd applauded a classy cover drive that has not been replaced by a giant massive TV, showing sexy cheerleaders prance and dance about. It is pure commercialisation and love for glamour. But unquestionably, from the advertising perspective, this edition was dominated by young digital players rather than traditional warriors.
The advertisement always played a role in cricket but now it has the lion’s share in the revenue generated.
The advertisement always played a role in cricket but now it has the lion’s share in the revenue generated. The main motive is how much money you can make. Some players might feel it more important to play two seasons of IPL rather than playing for the country. Because if you play well in an IPL season you will earn crores of money and at the same time you get the attention of media, selectors, and the crowd. So, IPL is a commercial setup, you play well, and you earn so much that two or three well-played IPL, and you do not have to run for the money for the rest of your life.
According to Kapil Dev, the focus should not be only on IPL and the means to promote it and make it exciting. The focus is to bring the best talent from around the country. They are found in domestic cricket level tournaments. Domestic heroes who play well in respective state teams, rule the format are the ones who have the potential to shine in the national arena. The future of cricket lies in test cricket. A batsman needs to keep his calm, focus, stamina, and fitness for about 90 hours. That is the main skill and test of a player. Similarly, a bowler bowling for 15 – 20 overs keeping the line and length consistent is the best possible examination of cricketing skills. Test cricket is the major pillar of cricket any day.
Commercialisation is important but the focus should be cricket.
Commercialisation is important but the focus should be cricket. Glamour is relatively mundane to run the engine of business, the fuel for running IPL. People used to love cricket once. Now, people, nowadays love cricket, and they love the star associated with the IPL team, the glamour associated with the sports, and the business stakeholders do take count in these factors each detail. So, all one needs is a Hotstar app, a yearly subscription of say Rs 1000 and the rest is a fingertip away from watching cricket to seeing movies. The paradigm shift is from only cricket to cricket + entertainment. Because entertainment brings revenue and revenue brings business growth and an open field for attracting investors to invest more. That is the setup now. IPL is the new age cricket that too in a virtual digital mode.
Ultimately as a sport cricket continues to grow.
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