Cricket’s glasnost

Even those who profess zero tolerance for the overwhelming commercialisation of the game, must have been elated at the news of Rs 70,00,00,00,000 coming into domestic cricket. The corporate world’s deep pockets have always been open for cricket’s big names; Bollywood stars in VIP boxes for Men in Blue games are a common sight. But the Indian Premier League (IPL) has taken the rich and famous to Indian cricket’s bush league. Now Team India isn’t the only brand in town. The professionally packaged Teams Mumbai, Delhi, Kolkata etc have joined the competition.

Lately the new pay structure in domestic cricket had made Ranji cricketers switch from two to four wheels. Yet they remained the faceless majority who envied their high-flying counterparts in the national team. Empty stands, live telecasts with abysmal ratings and limited media exposure were the harsh realities these cricketers had learnt to live with. But with Shah Rukh Khan in the dugout and Vijay Mallya-backed marketing mania, inter-city contests promise to become sexy.

It is expected that the international stars will enjoy extra attention if not preferential treatment. But the support cast will now have enough lines to make its presence felt. Aussie legend Shane Warne’s $4,00,000 pay cheque might provoke cynics to say that the IPL will just make the rich richer. But the mandatory presence of four juniors in every side proves that Indian cricket’s middle class too can expect a change in social status. The IPL will also see the BCCI finally relax its iron fist over the game. That stifling secrecy about accounts and their monopoly on revenue generation will fade. This Twenty20 tournament will see the BCCI share the television revenue with the IPL teams. Besides, team owners can pocket the entire gate money. They can also sell merchandise, avail themselves of secondary sponsorship, and yes, even the ultimate power of the BCCI official — they can distribute complimentary passes.