IPL

[Screaming Skull]

IPL teams may list on the stock market!​

Like gladiators, cricketing stars from across the globe are battling it out for their respective Indian Premier League teams in the IPL T20 Cricket Tournament. The competition is on the cricket field today, but the day is not far away when it might move to the stock markets.

The huge success of the IPL has heralded a new innings in the history of Indian cricket. A huge money spinner, the two-year-old IPL is worth a whopping $2 billion, according the United Kingdom-based brand valuation consultancy Brand Finance.

"The IPL brand alone has a value of over $311 million. The brand can certainly create long-term value with its strong intrinsic strength and foundation. The IPL is just like any company today and it holds a long-term shareholder value. In 2-3 years, the IPL clubs may get listed on the bourses just like the popular English Premier League football teams," says Unni Krishnan, Country Manager, Brand Finance India.

This innovative form of the cricket has attracted a huge fan following across the globe. The IPL is a now a product with a 'made in India' tag and a huge brand value.

An iconic global brand

The brand valuation is done on the basis of the team's ability to generate sponsorship, secure licensing, sponsorship and merchandising deals, besides the team members' performance and the ability to manage the club.

"The IPL is no longer an Indian brand. It is a global iconic brand exported from India. The team is not run according to the whims and fancies of one person. It is professionally managed making value creation a reality," Unni Krishnan points out.

It is Chennai Super Kings who currently are the top team this IPL season that is being hosted in South Africa. However, according to the Brand Finance study based on last year's performance, Kolkata Knight Riders owned by Bollywood superstar Shah Rukh Khan tops the list as the most-valued team with a brand value of $42.1 million.

KKR is commercially astute

"KKR is very commercially astute and has the upper hand in terms of brand promotion. Our study is based on last year's performance and these rankings are set to change in the coming years. The big losers and the big winners will be demarcated by a huge margin in the coming years," explains Unni Krishnan.

A lot of money is riding on the players as well. "Some of the top players, like English team members Kevin Pietersen and Andrew Flintoff, have not yet demonstrated top quality performance in the T20 format, while the not-so-famous cricketers have done exceedingly well.

Going to South Africa

The moving of the IPL tournament away from India does not have a negative impact. It helps the league get a huge fan following abroad.

The Bollywood connection in IPL has certainly added to its value with stars like Shah Rukh Khan, Preity Zinta and Shilpa Shetty as the team owners. "It is a cocktail of entertainment and excitement. Bollywood has a mass connection and it helps in brand building."

Brand Finance has treated IPL as a single commercial entity in order to evaluate its worth. This means they have aggregated the income that both the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) and the franchisees will achieve, and the expenditure that each will incur. All cross-charged income/expenditure has therefore been ignored. Brand Finance calls this concept the 'IPL System'.

Tough competition

Money, fame and glory. . . the IPL teams have it all, but the days ahead will not be easy for them.

"There will be tough competition for IPL, with other countries like South Africa and England planning similar cricket leagues," says Unni Krishnan.

"IPL cannot afford to rest on its laurels. It has to improve the quality of the game and strive to win a larger fan following and boost its brand loyalty. IPL has to leverage its fan following to get more revenues," he says.

A good marketing strategy is a must for a platform like the IPL. "The success of Manchester United shows how well one can market a game. Manchester United is truly a marketing machine," he adds.

IPL needs to keep its competitive edge and be innovative with modern formats and architecture in the way the game is played to remain competitive.

Money spinner

A big share of the revenue comes from broadcasting rights, commercial sponsorship, gate receipts and merchandising of goods.

"The clubs must initiate sport marketing activities, maintain their standards, rigour and discipline to go up the value chain," says Unni Krishnan.

Many people in the UK who had given up watching cricket have begun to get interested in the game again. In today's world when people are hard pressed for time, the T20 format and the excitement it brings are refreshing. However, the challenge is to retain its vigour and popularity, explains Unni Krishnan.

The rankings

Here's how the 8 IPL teams rank in terms of valuation:

1. Kolkata Knight Riders top the charts with a brand value of $42.1 million, the highest among the eight franchises. Their franchise fee is $75.1 million.

2. Mumbai Indians follow the KKR team is followed with a value of $41.6 million. Their franchise fee is $111.9 million.

3. Rajasthan Royals are at the third spot with a value of $39.5 million. Their franchise fee is $67 million.

4. Chennai Super Kings, currently scorching the IPL tournament, are in the fourth position with a value of $39.4 million. Their franchise fee is $91.9 million.

5. Delhi Dare Devils are at the fifth spot with a value of $39.2 million. Their franchise fee is $84 million.

6. Royal Challengers are at the 6th place with a value of $37.4 million. Their franchise fee is $111.6 million.

7. Kings IX Punjab are at the 7th place with a value of $36.3 million. Their franchise fee is $76 million.

8. Deccan Chargers are at the 8th position with a value of $34.8 million. Their franchise fee is $107 million.

 

[sob]

IPL teams may list on the stock market!​

Like gladiators, cricketing stars from across the globe are battling it out for their respective Indian Premier League teams in the IPL T20 Cricket Tournament. The competition is on the cricket field today, but the day is not far away when it might move to the stock markets.

The huge success of the IPL has heralded a new innings in the history of Indian cricket. A huge money spinner, the two-year-old IPL is worth a whopping $2 billion, according the United Kingdom-based brand valuation consultancy Brand Finance.

"The IPL brand alone has a value of over $311 million. The brand can certainly create long-term value with its strong intrinsic strength and foundation. The IPL is just like any company today and it holds a long-term shareholder value. In 2-3 years, the IPL clubs may get listed on the bourses just like the popular English Premier League football teams," says Unni Krishnan, Country Manager, Brand Finance India.

This innovative form of the cricket has attracted a huge fan following across the globe. The IPL is a now a product with a 'made in India' tag and a huge brand value.

An iconic global brand

The brand valuation is done on the basis of the team's ability to generate sponsorship, secure licensing, sponsorship and merchandising deals, besides the team members' performance and the ability to manage the club.

"The IPL is no longer an Indian brand. It is a global iconic brand exported from India. The team is not run according to the whims and fancies of one person. It is professionally managed making value creation a reality," Unni Krishnan points out.

It is Chennai Super Kings who currently are the top team this IPL season that is being hosted in South Africa. However, according to the Brand Finance study based on last year's performance, Kolkata Knight Riders owned by Bollywood superstar Shah Rukh Khan tops the list as the most-valued team with a brand value of $42.1 million.

KKR is commercially astute

"KKR is very commercially astute and has the upper hand in terms of brand promotion. Our study is based on last year's performance and these rankings are set to change in the coming years. The big losers and the big winners will be demarcated by a huge margin in the coming years," explains Unni Krishnan.

A lot of money is riding on the players as well. "Some of the top players, like English team members Kevin Pietersen and Andrew Flintoff, have not yet demonstrated top quality performance in the T20 format, while the not-so-famous cricketers have done exceedingly well.

Going to South Africa

The moving of the IPL tournament away from India does not have a negative impact. It helps the league get a huge fan following abroad.

The Bollywood connection in IPL has certainly added to its value with stars like Shah Rukh Khan, Preity Zinta and Shilpa Shetty as the team owners. "It is a cocktail of entertainment and excitement. Bollywood has a mass connection and it helps in brand building."

Brand Finance has treated IPL as a single commercial entity in order to evaluate its worth. This means they have aggregated the income that both the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) and the franchisees will achieve, and the expenditure that each will incur. All cross-charged income/expenditure has therefore been ignored. Brand Finance calls this concept the 'IPL System'.

Tough competition

Money, fame and glory. . . the IPL teams have it all, but the days ahead will not be easy for them.

"There will be tough competition for IPL, with other countries like South Africa and England planning similar cricket leagues," says Unni Krishnan.

"IPL cannot afford to rest on its laurels. It has to improve the quality of the game and strive to win a larger fan following and boost its brand loyalty. IPL has to leverage its fan following to get more revenues," he says.

A good marketing strategy is a must for a platform like the IPL. "The success of Manchester United shows how well one can market a game. Manchester United is truly a marketing machine," he adds.

IPL needs to keep its competitive edge and be innovative with modern formats and architecture in the way the game is played to remain competitive.

Money spinner

A big share of the revenue comes from broadcasting rights, commercial sponsorship, gate receipts and merchandising of goods.

"The clubs must initiate sport marketing activities, maintain their standards, rigour and discipline to go up the value chain," says Unni Krishnan.

Many people in the UK who had given up watching cricket have begun to get interested in the game again. In today's world when people are hard pressed for time, the T20 format and the excitement it brings are refreshing. However, the challenge is to retain its vigour and popularity, explains Unni Krishnan.

The rankings

Here's how the 8 IPL teams rank in terms of valuation:

1. Kolkata Knight Riders top the charts with a brand value of $42.1 million, the highest among the eight franchises. Their franchise fee is $75.1 million.

2. Mumbai Indians follow the KKR team is followed with a value of $41.6 million. Their franchise fee is $111.9 million.

3. Rajasthan Royals are at the third spot with a value of $39.5 million. Their franchise fee is $67 million.

4. Chennai Super Kings, currently scorching the IPL tournament, are in the fourth position with a value of $39.4 million. Their franchise fee is $91.9 million.

5. Delhi Dare Devils are at the fifth spot with a value of $39.2 million. Their franchise fee is $84 million.

6. Royal Challengers are at the 6th place with a value of $37.4 million. Their franchise fee is $111.6 million.

7. Kings IX Punjab are at the 7th place with a value of $36.3 million. Their franchise fee is $76 million.

8. Deccan Chargers are at the 8th position with a value of $34.8 million. Their franchise fee is $107 million.

Well it seems that Rajsthan Royals, Chennai SK and Delhi Daredevils are the smart guys. They paid less for their team, less for their palyers and are sitting on top of the table. At the end of the season their valuations will surely jump.

On the other hand Team No. 1 on valuations is on the bottom of the points table and SRK is rumored to be finding a buyer. Tough luck nobody seems to be interested.

 

[Screaming Skull]

IPL merchandise attracts buyers worldwide​

The Indian Premier League (IPL) fever seems to have spread across the borders, as more and more people from non-cricket playing nations such as the US and Germany are buying merchandise of the franchise teams online.

Leading online market place eBay India, offering merchandise of several IPL teams is witnessing significant surge in demand for products like jerseys, T-shirts, shoes and caps.

"The online orders to purchase different products for the IPL 2009 is attracting a number of people from many non cricket crazy nations including Finland, Germany, US and Spain," eBay India Senior Manager (Pop Culture) Deepa Thomas told PTI.

Nonetheless, the maximum number of buyers are from India, accounting for nearly 67 per cent of the total purchases.

Based on the sales, eBay India data shows that jerseys and team T-shirts are the most sought after items by the cricket fans.

EBay India has partnered with leading brands like Puma, Adidas and Reebok for offering the IPL merchandise.

According to the firm's IPL Sales barometer or the battle of fan -- a measure of products sales -- the merchandise related to Kings XI Punjab is the most popular among the buyers.

Delhi Daredevils and Deccan Chargers (Hyderabad) come next on the list of popularity.

The products are priced in the range of Rs 399 to Rs 2,999.

IPL merchandise attracts buyers worldwide

 

[messenger]

MUMBAI INDIANS (157/3) BEAT ROYAL CHALLENGERS (141/7) .


KNIGHT RIDERS (123/8) LOST TO DELHI DAREDEVILS (125/3 in 17.1 overs ) .


GREAT GOING DELHI .

i think delhi is going to be the winner this time . they have the best batting line in the tournament with all players in form .

 

[Screaming Skull]

Thanks to the IPL, India’s profile becomes bigger in South Africa​

Monday, May 11, 2009

JOHANNESBURG: The Indian Premier League (IPL) tournament besides giving happier moments to lovers of the game is also providing the right boost to India’s sustained cultural interaction with South Africa.

Huge IPL hoardings featuring Sachin Tendulkar jostle for attention with advertisements of consumer brands, and newspapers routinely carry full- page advertisements of the coming matches. One channel routinely carries all IPL matches. The Indian advertisements are causing amusement and one analyst light-heartedly termed them an Indian attempt to culturally colonise South Africa with cricket.

But in this recession-prone time, none seems to mind the extra business that is coming South Africa’s way through stadium rentals, hotel bookings and tourist spends. For, the profile of India has become bigger and better.

And the accent on India also suits the 15-lakh people of Indian origin, who are gearing to celebrate 150 years of their arrival here.

“The Indian community here is a bridge between the two nations. They are of special importance to us while keeping in mind that they are citizens of South Africa,” said a senior diplomat.

The Hindu : International / India & World : India’s profile becomes bigger in South Africa

 

[messenger]

Racist comments being made to players in KKR team









Former Test cricketer Ajay Jadeja made a sensational claim on Monday, saying Indian players were being ill-treated by foreign staff of Kolkata Knight Riders in IPL.

Jadeja hinted that a member of the KKR foreign coaching staff had racial overtones to his language used for an Indian player during the tournament

“You don’t need blogger (to know this),” he said in an apparent reference to the Fake IPL player’s blogsite.

I can assure you that there is definitely a divide and Indian players are (being) treated very badly.” Jadeja told a news channel.

“I am an Indian player. I know so many players in the team (Kolkata Knight Riders Team). One player was asked to come off the field and when he came off the field he asked “Why did you want me to come off the field? One of the coaches in KKR says ‘You Indian, you do what I ask you to do’,” he said.

Jadeja insisted his claims were true, saying he had the information from horse’s mouth and that the team was not more than a divided house.

“There is divide between Indian and foreign player and there is a divide between thought process. So this team is divided. There is no doubt about it,” he added.

There is something fishi going on in KKR team as it is evidence from there performance.The team is not playing as a unit.The trouble and controversies does’nt seem to be ending soon.


Racist comments being made to players in KKR team | Cricket Safari

 

[messenger]

KKR coach denies making racist comments

Zeecric Bureau

New Delhi, May 12: A day after KKR bowling coach Andy Bichel was accused of making racist comments against a few Indian origin players in the Kolkata Knight Riders IPL team, the former Australian pace bowler denied making any such remarks.


According to sources, Bichel had abused Ajit Agarkar after the latter questioned his decision to call him off the field during a match.

Earlier on Monday, former Test cricketer Ajay Jadeja made a sensational claim, saying Indian players were being ill-treated by foreign staff of the beleaguered Kolkata Knight Riders in their own domestic IPL, going on in South Africa.

Without naming any particular individual, Jadeja had hinted that a member of the KKR foreign coaching staff had racial overtones to his language used for an Indian player during the tournament, which has not seen the team winning barring in one match where they triumphed via Duckworth-Lewis method.

"You don`t need a blogger (to know this)," he said in an apparent reference to the `FakeIPLplayer` blogsite. "I can assure you that there is definitely a divide and Indian players are (being) treated very badly." Jadeja told in a news programme.

"I am an Indian player. I know so many players in the team (Kolkata Knight Riders Team). One player was asked to come off the field and when he came off the field he asked "Why did you want me to come off the field? One of the coaches in KKR says `You Indian, you do what I ask you to do`," he said.

KKR coach denies making racist comments

 

[Jako]

Thats it!!! I want those bastards out of kkr and india......

 

[Screaming Skull]

KKR racism row: Report claims Bichel abused Agarkar​

Wed, May 13, 2009

New Delhi: Indian fast bowler Ajit Agarkar and former Australian pacer Andy Bichel, who is now a bowling coach with Kolkata Knight Riders, allegedly got into a fracas leading to a racial slur.

Former India cricketer Ajay Jadeja during a chat show on a news channel revealed that Knight Riders' Indian players are being ill-treated by foreign coaching staff.

Jadeja revealed how an Indian player was asked to come off while fielding and when asked why he was called back, one of the assistant coaches said: "You Indian, you do as you're told."

"The player and coach involved are said to be Agarkar and Andy Bichel," the news channel reported Tuesday.

The alleged incident happened 15 days ago and team owner Shah Rukh Khan had to intervene to resolve the issue.

Jadeja claimed he had the information from players in the team and said the Knight Riders were no more than a divided house.

Bottom placed Knight Riders have been dealing with controversies before the start of the tournament when coach John Buchanan popped up the idea of multi-captaincy. A blogger, who claims to be a player, has been spilling out the juicy dressing room gossip of the Knight Riders.

KKR racism row: Report claims Bichel abused Agarkar

 

[fatman17]

Twenty thoughts on the IPL

Did Deccan Chargers win it, or did Royal Challengers Bangalore lose it? Twenty thoughts on IPL 2009

Sambit Bal

May 25, 2009

Anil Kumble deserved a better performance from his team-mates in the final © Associated Press

Did Deccan Chargers win it, or did Royal Challengers Bangalore lose it? The IPL final proved, once more, that above all, Twenty20 is a game of nerve, and ironically, the team that had made staying cool it's biggest virtue, lost it when that was all it needed. Nothing captured it better than the uncharacteristic dismissal of Rahul Dravid, bowled round his legs trying to paddle a quick bowler. With fine leg on the boundary, the shot would have fetched him a single.

Bangalore's defeat deprived the tournament of a fairytale finish. The most ridiculed team of the IPL last year, they lost four of their first five matches in this tournament, but won five in a row to make it to the semi-final. Like Rajasthan Royals last season, Bangalore relied not on individual match-winners but on strong team performances. Anil Kumble might not have the magnetism and the charisma of Shane Warne, but the force of his personal example was a big factor behind the revival of his team.

Kumble could have done no more or no better in the final. He took up the responsibility of dismissing the most dangerous opponents and succeeded. He took four wickets for 16 runs, and the ball to Adam Gilchrist was a beauty: it was floated up to invite the charge, and held back to defeat it. To this giant of a man, his team owed a more spirited a performance.

It was fitting too that RP Singh should finish the job for Deccan. He has been the leading wicket-taker for most of the tournament, and he bowled two nerveless overs at the death. The last one was delivered with a smile. He has spent time out of the Indian team, but now he should be the favourite to bowl the final over for India at the World Twenty20.

And what is it with retired Australian players at the IPL? Warne dragged Rajasthan to victory last year; Matthew Hayden became the highest run-getter this year, and Gilchrist has now led last year's bottom-ranked team to victory. Did Virender Sehwag miss a trick by benching Glenn McGrath? It will remain the biggest "if" of this year's tournament, but you can be sure that Sehwag won't be losing any sleep over it.

It's for the second time running that the team that looked the best has failed to make it to the final. In fact, it can be asked if the two best teams were playing for the trophy. There is merit in wondering if semi-finals are the best way to settle it. Given that it is such a long tournament and that Twenty20 is a fickle form of cricket, it might be a good idea to let the top two teams in the league play the final.

Matthew Hayden was the best batsman of the tournament and continued the trend of Australian success in the IPL © Associated Press

Was there a reason the tournament was dominated by left-arm bowlers? Don't ask me why.

The best thing about the tournament moving to South Africa was that it restored the balance between bat and ball. Not only did the pitches have more pace and bounce than those in India, since it was the end of the season there was also plenty of turn. Among the batsmen, it separated the men from the boys. Most Indian domestic players struggled.

It also provided the perfect stage for Suresh Raina to further his credentials as one of the most exciting young talents in the game. Greg Chappell saw in him a special ability to hit the ball to unusual areas, and he is beginning to fulfill that promise. But a beginning it is. He has to sort out the problem with the short ball before he can be considered good enough for Test cricket.

Manish Pandey looks the part. His rode his luck for his century, but his 48 in the semi-final was a more assured innings. His cover-driving was exquisite.

Ashish Nehra has made the most dramatic return to prominence. He has been an enigma. Everything about him looks un-coordinated and he gives the appearance of not caring, but his team-mates swear that he is among the most hardworking cricketers in the country. Just that he is not built to be a fast bowler.

Ever since he became the captain of the Indian one-day team, MS Dhoni has fashioned himself as a finisher, but something has been lost. He now chugs along like a well-calibrated engine, but seems incapable of velocity. His inability to hit top gear might have cost his team the semi-final.

Rajasthan Royals supporters - I am one - mustn't be disheartened. The team overachieved last year. And they did so again this year. Remember they were without their best bowler (Sohail Tanvir) and best batsman (Shane Watson). And they didn't finish last.

Mumbai Indians had no business finishing seventh. Or perhaps they have every reason. They were the most confused team in the tournament.

Mumbai Indians was the most confused team of the tournament © Associated Press


Am I joking? What about Kolkata Knight Riders? But it can be argued that confusion was part of their strategy. They were a catastrophe. And once you overlooked their cricket, they were a constant source of entertainment. But the fun is unlikely to last: heads will surely roll.

The IPL is now a global tournament, no doubt about that. What was a handicap to begin with quickly became the perfect opportunity to demonstrate its inherent strength. Okay, the crowds were not as big as they were in India last year - that would have been asking for the moon and some more - but they were big enough, and they enthusiastically endorsed the premise of the IPL: bring on the entertainment, and there will be enough takers.

You have to hand to it to Lalit Modi: he turned around a hopeless situation with breathtaking speed and clarity in decision-making. Even conceiving a task of such scale would have been beyond many: not only did Modi manage to relocate the massive tournament to a different continent in three weeks, he also ran it for five without a hitch.

Now only if the IPL could safely stop shrieking itself silly. Strategy breaks were punishment enough for television viewers, but being subjected daily to fawning fan interviews felt like an assault. The tournament was its own best advertisement. The best thing Modi could have done after the final was to let the winners take centre-stage, rather than grab the limelight himself.

Perhaps it's the immediacy thing, but the television coverage sunk even lower than last year's. It was evident in 2008 that the commentators had been assigned the role of IPL's prime cheerleaders; watching them try to out-perform each other in hyping the IPL reminded me of a famous quote about Indian newspaper editors during the Emergency imposed by Indira Gandhi in 1977: "They were asked to bend, but they crawled." It was unbecoming, and pathetic.

And finally, a thought for the future: Modi announced that two more franchises will be added in 2011. That's great news for the existing ones, particularly the ones carrying extra baggage.

Sambit Bal is the editor of Cricinfo

© Cricinfo

 

[murshid]

why no pakistan club team is invited by BCCI to play in coming T20 champions league in october this year ?
i heard 2 teams each from australia , england and south africa are invited.

 

[fatman17]

why no pakistan club team is invited by BCCI to play in coming T20 champions league in october this year ?
i heard 2 teams each from australia , england and south africa are invited.

GoP did not give permission to PCB to send Sialkot Stallions. yesterday was last date for filing nominations!

 

[Goodperson]

GoP did not give permission to PCB to send Sialkot Stallions. yesterday was last date for filing nominations!

Yeah what if Sialkot Stallions win the championship? That would have been fitting reply to al aprehensions in minds oe people.

 

[fatman17]

Yeah what if Sialkot Stallions win the championship? That would have been fitting reply to al aprehensions in minds oe people.

politics and bad management is killing cricket in pakistan IMHO! the current team and the players dont have the qualities required to compete at the international level "as a team"