What You Do for Living?
Common question one generation back. Today, you may get
an answer, “I play”.
All work & no play was bad for our health. But what
about its opposite? Ask our cricketers. They are playing cricket year-round. It
is their profession, their source of income. They are making millions and no
one is objecting. And who is the benevolent employer?
Well, Indian Premier League or IPL in short.
Foresight of a Forgotten Founder, IPL under the aegis of
BCCI has grown beyond imagination. Thanks to IPL, the reinvented cricket has
become a ‘Spectator Sport’ like Football.
Gone are the days when of Test Matches used to drag on
for over five days, generating more ennui than revenue. ODIs may not be passe’
exactly but their shorter cousins are definitely more popular.
Brain-child of the then Vice President of BCCI, Shri
Lalit Modi, IPL was floated by BCCI in 2007. Shrewdly timed during lean season
of cricket in India, it satisfied national hunger in true sense of ‘Ye dil
mange more’.
A game-changer, it became an instant hit only to be lapped
up by spectators, sponsors and sportsmen alike. Moneybags made a beeline for
owning teams. India witnessed its first ever auction of sportsmen. Purse-strings
were loosened for generous buying of cricket players. Star-performers were
bought for amounts touching skies.
It also opened avenues for foreign players to play in
India. Some of them go for prices beyond what their Indian counterparts fetch.
No wonder, their presence adds to attraction year after year.
A gold-mine of opportunities had opened up. Players of
different calibers found appropriate slots in the eight teams. A whole lot of
support staff added to the juggernaut. Jobs were raining for coaches, umpires,
commentators, grounds men, physios, scorers, videographers, cheer-leaders, motivators,
logistics support providers, statisticians and what not.
Hardware and software providers for cricket also became big-time
beneficiaries. IPL influence extended beyond
the stadiums. Apparel and accessories producers, publicity and advertising
agencies all jumped in the fray for mopping up their share of benefits arising
out of IPL.
And how can we not mention the role played by IPL as our
worthy time-pass partner during the Covid 19 situation? If you have self-pity
for being locked-in at home, imagine these players are away from home for two
months. They are cooped up in bio-bubbles after mandatory quarantine.
IPL is truly a symbol of Indian competence in sports
management.
