Mega-auction for Next Year's IPL to Postpone Indefinitely: Report
Image : Collected
|| Desk Report ||
The BCCI has decided not to host the mega auction for the 2021 season of Indian Premier League (IPL), according to a report in the Times of India. The auction has been postponed for an indefinite time period due to COVID-19 pandemic.
The report also suggested that the teams might have to go ahead with the existing set of players, apart from the replacements of injured players.
As the BCCI is looking forward to hosting the 2021 season in Feb-Mar window, that leaves the BCCI four months of time to complete the auction for the season, which in this crunch situation looks impossible.
Even franchises have also agreed with the board that there might not be enough time for teams to rebuild their entire squads for the 2021 edition of the cash-rich league.
Following are the points that need to be considered:
a) Restructuring of auction purse - presently at Rs 85 crore per year
b) Entering into a contract with Indian and overseas players to put together a comprehensive auction list
c) Allowing franchisees enough time to prepare for the bidding. Usually, teams take 4-6 months to prepare themselves for the auction strategies
d) Any kind of brand activation - once new players are included.
"What's the point in doing a mega auction now and not have enough time to plan it properly? IPL might as well go ahead and finish the 2021 edition of the tournament and then see how it wants to go about," said a source.
"Technically, BCCI will have not more than 40-45 odd days to conclude the entire England tour, so one can expect a reduction in the number of Tests," say those who are tracking developments.
Ramdev's Patanjali Throws Their Hat in the Bidding for IPL Title Sponsorship
Baba Ramdev's Patanjali Ayurved is eyeing to throw their hat in the bidding for the title sponsorship of the 13th edition of Indian Premier League (IPL), according to a company official.
Last week the BCCI and the title sponsorship of IPL – Vivo, the Chinese company have decided to part ways and the place is empty since then. The decision was taken amid clamour to boycott Chinese products after the border clashes between India and China.
The 2020 edition of IPL will begin on September 19 in the UAE. However, the title sponsorship would help the Haridwar-based firm access to a global marketing platform, as Patanjali is eyeing on exports for its Ayurveda-based FMCG products.
While confirming the development, Patanjali spokesperson S K Tijarawala said to PTI: "We are considering this".
"This is for Vocal For Local and making one Indian brand as global, this is the right platform. We are considering into that perspective," he further added.
However, Tijarawala also said that the company hasn’t taken a call yet and the final call on the issue will be taken soon.
"We have to take a final decision, whether we would take it or not," Tijarawala told.
Meanwhile, the title sponsorship is an important part of the IPL's commercial revenue and half of which is shared equally by the franchises as well. Vivo won the IPL title sponsorship rights for five years from 2018 to 2022 for a whopping sum of Rs 2,190 crore that is approximately Rs 440 crore per annum.
On the other hand, the Haridwar-based Patanjali group has an estimated turnover of around Rs 10,500 crore and they had acquired the debt-ridden Ruchi Soya for around Rs 4,350 crore after competing with Adani Group as well.
Moreover, the company had reported a revenue of Rs 8,329 crore in the year of 2018-19. Although, the group's overall turnover was much higher as Patanjali Ayurved comprises of its FMCG business and its Ayurvedic medicines as well.
