BCCI President Roger Binny (center) with Secretary Jay Shah (left) and Vice President Rajeev Shukla (right).
Credit: PTI
Motivated by the success of the Indian Premier League (IPL), which started 15 years ago, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) is thinking of launching a Tier-2 cricket league as early as 2024.
Money control reported that BCCI secretary Jay Shah is drafting a plan for the proposed league, and interested parties including possible sponsors are quite supportive of the idea.
The board is looking to schedule the new cricket league between September and October.
The BCCI is taking into consideration holding the new league under the T10 format, realising that the popularity of the game's shortest version may be the sport's main driver in the future. The format for the new league has yet to be confirmed.
With its fast-paced T20 style, the IPL increased cricket's popularity in 2008. In addition to attracting top players to India, the IPL developed a devoted fan following and brought in a significant amount of money for the board through sponsorships and television rights.
Due to its success, other countries launched similar leagues, increasing the game's popularity around the world.
The BCCI is discussing several important factors such as the format, whether 10 over or 20 over, the age cap, and the venue for the proposed new league.
Another important factor before the board is the franchising. Should the franchises for this new league be sold through a separate tender process or can the existing IPL franchises be given the right of first refusal?
In the current agreements between BCCI and the owners of IPL teams, there is a clause that the franchises have the first say over any business plan the BCCI wants to introduce that is "similar" to the IPL. BCCI might want to abide by such a provision, sources said.
Whether an age bracket should be included in the new competition is another crucial decision that the BCCI needs to make. Otherwise, there is a fear that the new league might eat into IPL, putting the popularity it has gained over the years at risk.
There is also a fear that an even shorter version of the game will drive fans away from the 50-over cricket.