Reports | Star India objects to BCCI’s plans, wants IPL to wrap up in Diwali weekend
Star India has reportedly complained to the BCCI that wrapping the Indian Premier League by November 8 would sabotage their business plans on a Diwali weekend. The decision to wrap the series beforehand stemmed from the fact that India had to travel Australia to play the first Test on December 3.
There have been multiple reports that suggested that BCCI have earmarked September 26 as the potential date to start the 13th edition of the IPL and will look to wrap up the tournament by November 8. The Indian team will travel to Australia in the second week of November and once they are done with their Quarantine things, the series will begin on December 3.
However, the contracted rescheduling of the IPL from 60 days to 44 days hasn’t gone down well with the host broadcaster Star India, who have suffered massive losses in the form of IPL postponement. As a matter of fact, Star wanted to use the Diwali week to have a rake in advertisements but the BCCI plans have thrown that out of the window.
“Yes, the Diwali week is crucial for the stakeholders, especially the broadcaster. At the same time, think about the players. They’ll either be in the flight or locked up in some godforsaken hotel room when everybody back (their) home will be celebrating the festival. If Boxing Day is so crucial for Australia, why is Diwali not so important for our players. From a revenue standpoint, it’s extremely crucial”, say those tracking developments, reported Times of India.
“The broadcaster has been at crossroads to figure out ways to monetise the IPL in this extremely cold market. If the market warms up to the festival season, that’s the only way the league will be able to make revenues. They would want the knockouts scheduled in the Diwali week, which the BCCI has not considered”.
With Australia already announcing the schedule for the India series, the BCCI seems to be in agreement with that and if the Quarantine things need to be observed as per the current federal government policy, it becomes mandatory in a way to travel in the said time. But an official stated that if Australia is so considerate about Boxing Day, then why India can’t do the same for their festive season.
"On a different note, and in the future, ideally the BCCI should plan the IPL in a way where the final is scheduled around the Diwali week every year. If not Diwali specifically, then at least around the same time. There has to be a week or a month of relevance in a cricket season that the country should look forward to every year. That is how culture and customs are worked upon. The Boxing Day didn’t become the property it is overnight and Australia guards it zealously,” add industry sources.
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