BCCI should allow IPL franchises to play exhibition matches during the off-season: Ness Wadia.
Ness Wadia, the co-ower of Punjab Kings (PBKS), feels it’s high time for the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) to allow franchisees to play the showcase matches outside the Indian territory as it will only strengthen the IPL as a brand.
Indian Premier League’s (IPL) brand value took off recently after several giant overseas corporate entities came under one roof to place their bids to acquire the operations of one of the two new teams. The elite competition not only garnered a whopping $1.5 Billion but also attracted some of the famed bidders from the global sports community.
Wadia took it to no surprise after investors showed their keenness to shell out a handsome sum to operate the IPL Franchise. He reckons that constant innovation is the need of the hour for any business to flourish in front of the entire world.
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“I don’t think the numbers are mindboggling. Sport is big business now. It is a good investment. The league truly deserves it. These are serious businessmen we are talking about. They invest in things with a purpose. It has taken us 14 years to reach where the league deserves to be. I am happy that it has finally happened,” said Wadia as quoted by the New Indian Express.
The further suggested the cricket governing body of India to allow the IPL teams to carry out a few exhibition matches in different countries based on the availability of the key players.
“The BCCI must consider having off-season matches to be held in places where there is a big Indian diaspora. That will grow the IPL even more. A bunch of three or five games in the off-season based on player availability. Hypothetically, allow the top four franchisees every year to play a few games in, for example, Miami or in Toronto or in Singapore. It will only strengthen what already is a strong product,” he added.
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