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MUMBAI: The Indian Premier League (IPL) finally has a tentative schedule. The Indian cricket board (BCCI) wants the league to begin on September 26 (a Saturday) and conclude on November 8 (Sunday) — a period of 44 days to host 60 games.
Broadcaster Star India and the franchises are reported to have reservations about this ‘constricted scheduling’.
According to industry sources, Star wants to make optimum use of the Diwali week in a bid to rake in advertisements in these lean times. Diwali is on November 14, a Saturday, and Star wants the IPL to conclude that weekend. Those opposing BCCI’s timetable say it’ll mean more afternoon matches, which would affect visibility and ratings.
BCCI’s lack of enthusiasm for the Diwali dates stems from its commitment to Cricket Australia (CA) that India will tour Down Under later this year for a four-Test series starting December 3, for which the team would have to arrive much earlier.
Said a senior board official, “If the IPL concludes by November 8, the team can fly to Australia by the 10th, undergo Covid tests and start practice and warm-up matches so that the first Test can begin as scheduled. Also, India might want to play a day-night warm-up game ahead of the proposed day-night Test, and that will add days to the schedule.”
The schedule has been in discussion for a couple of weeks now and was again “informally” brought up at the apex council meeting on last Friday.
The IPL is tentatively scheduled to be held from September 26 to November 8, though the governing council is yet to meet and give its final approval. The dates are expected to be made public soon after the International Cricket Council (ICC) formally announces the postponement of this year’s T20 World Cup.
Broadcaster Star India and the franchises are reported to have reservations about this ‘constricted scheduling’.
According to industry sources, Star wants to make optimum use of the Diwali week in a bid to rake in advertisements in these lean times. Diwali is on November 14, a Saturday, and Star wants the IPL to conclude that weekend. Those opposing BCCI’s timetable say it’ll mean more afternoon matches, which would affect visibility and ratings.
BCCI’s lack of enthusiasm for the Diwali dates stems from its commitment to Cricket Australia (CA) that India will tour Down Under later this year for a four-Test series starting December 3, for which the team would have to arrive much earlier.
Said a senior board official, “If the IPL concludes by November 8, the team can fly to Australia by the 10th, undergo Covid tests and start practice and warm-up matches so that the first Test can begin as scheduled. Also, India might want to play a day-night warm-up game ahead of the proposed day-night Test, and that will add days to the schedule.”
The schedule has been in discussion for a couple of weeks now and was again “informally” brought up at the apex council meeting on last Friday.
The IPL is tentatively scheduled to be held from September 26 to November 8, though the governing council is yet to meet and give its final approval. The dates are expected to be made public soon after the International Cricket Council (ICC) formally announces the postponement of this year’s T20 World Cup.
Star bought the IPL broadcast rights in 2018 with a consolidated bid of Rs 16,347 crore and pays the BCCI Rs 3,500 to Rs 4,000 crore every year as part of a five-year rights cycle.
Cricket Australia last week announced a 65-day window — from December 3 to February 6 — for its own T20 property, the Big Bash League (BBL), comprising 61 matches.
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