Reports | Star Sports' early match request in focus ahead of IPL GC meeting on Monday
Ahead of Monday's IPL Governing Council meeting in New Delhi, Star Sports' request of shifting the match timing from 8 PM to 7:30 PM is expected to be the major point of contention. The GC will also discuss the feasibility of adding new teams to the league from the 2021 edition.
The Host broadcaster Star Sports has kept insisting that there should be a 7.30 PM start for the evening games which would allow the game to have an early wrap up which will significantly increase viewership and help with the ratings. They have also argued that sponsors of the league and franchises will get more exposure and crowds will be able to retire early than having to wait until midnight. However, franchises have been wary of losing out on gate money, especially for the office timings.
"Dew is a big factor under lights and an early start will give one team more advantage than the other. Crowds in cities like Mumbai and Bangalore need time after wrapping up work to reach their respective venues. Even in an 8 Pm start, stadium begins to fill up only by 8.30 pm. More importantly, cricket can't be compromised for TV ratings," sources in favour of 8 PM start told Times of India.
While the IPL is looking for a bigger window, the GC is contemplating whether one new team should be added to the IPL, ahead of the 2021 edition, or two teams should be introduced at one go. The stakeholders involved in the process claimed that if the league can start by March 20 and be wrapped up in the last week of May, it will give the IPL an approximate 60 to 65-day window where 74 matches can be easily played.
"Either a 2011-kind format, when teams were divided into two groups or splitting the IPL into two separate windows - with the second half of the tournament to be played around October - will have to be considered if two new teams are introduced. Nine teams, for now, would've given more space ideally. Let's see," said sources.
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