Last Updated on 6 months by Charbel Coorey
Cricket News: Will IPL franchises take over world cricket? Fans say yes in recent survey | Fans believe IPL franchises will have more power
Cricket is one sport that has experienced significant change over the past 20 years. No one in 2003 could have thought that the first ever T20, played in England, would see this format completely shake cricket to its very core.
Nations around the globe, including Pakistan, West Indies and Australia, saw immediate success in matches played domestically in 2005 and 2006, drawing sell out crowds.
Then came the Indian Premier League (IPL) in 2008, soon after India’s triumph in the inaugural T20 World Cup that saw the format’s popularity go through the roof. Franchise cricket was born, and now threatens to render national boards secondary. Literally.
In CricBlog’s future of cricket survey, 75% of 5,000+ respondents believe IPL franchise owners will hold more power over cricket boards in the future.
Why could IPL franchises take over national boards?
- In the past, cricketers relied on their board for earnings. Now, if they aren’t happy, they can say goodbye and dip their toe in the monster that is franchise cricket.
- IPL franchise owners now own teams in different leagues around the globe, including South Africa’s SA20 and West Indies’ CPL.
- These owners have been holding informal talks (at this stage) with some top England cricketers to quit or sharply reduce the amount of international cricket they play to take up a contract package estimated to be worth US$5 million to play around the world throughout the year.
- Cricket boards could have NOCs placed on their most-prized assets by their owners should they decide they would like to have them available for certain T20 leagues over internationals.
The growth of T20 cricket, which is expected to continue rising sharply upward, can attract new fans around the globe. Also, importantly for administrators, the media rights values associated with the format are so staggering that they’re practically swimming in cash.
However, this shift represents a threat for traditionalists who value having the best talent available in international cricket. The future of One Day Internationals (ODIs) and Tests grow murkier by the minute, with T20 offering fans a shorter, sharper product in the age of instant gratification. In the survey, 31.9% of fans said ODIs won’t be around by 2037. Also, 49.1% picked ODIs as the format to drop to reduce scheduling pressures.
Indeed, the world of cricket is changing rapidly, and it seems inevitable franchise owners will garner more power in the coming years. The current Future Tours Programme (FTP), scheduled to end in 2027, may very well be the last of its kind.
We shall see.
