With an eye to generate maximum revenues, cashing in on the popularity of IPL Twenty20 tournament, and to extend their franchise brands, several teams of the Indian Premier League (IPL) are eying overseas venues including England, South Africa, Australia and Dubai to organise T20 tournaments.
This move is expected to not only generate additional revenue for the IPL franchisee teams from the television rights, sponsors, gate money and merchandising, but is likely to help their brands gain popularity in overseas locations, thereby attracting investors, sports marketing firms have said.
Teams like GMR-owned Delhi Daredevils, Shah Rukh Khan-owned Kolkata Knight Riders, and Preity Zinta-backed Kings XI Punjab are said to be in touch with overseas Twenty20 teams from counties like Middlesex, Leicestershire, Lancashire, Kent and a few others to form local partners in order to execute their plans. Some of the IPL team managements are in touch with Twenty20 teams from South Africa, Australia and Dubai, said sources.
This follows an announcement by Shilpa Shetty-backed IPL franchise team Rajasthan Royals on Monday to stage a Twenty20 cricket festival in England this July. Rajasthan Royals have entered into partnerships with Hampshire, Cape Cobras of South Africa and Trinidad & Tobago of West Indies for the proposed event. If materialised, the IPL teams will hold Twenty20 tournaments to be played between four to six teams (mostly international Twenty20 teams) in as many days later this year. However, the local cricket boards of respective countries will have to give their permission before such tournaments can get an official status.
?The Delhi Daredevils have an understanding with Nashua Titans of South Africa regarding player exchanges and commercial tie-ins. Kolkata Knight Riders have been in the UK county market exploring various alliances and business opportunities,? a senior executive of a leading IPL team said requesting anonymity. However, when contacted, Amrit Mathur, COO of Delhi Daredevil, said: ?We do not have any such plans currently.?
But sports marketing experts say, once executed, the overseas franchise Twenty20 tournaments will unlock a big commercial opportunity for the IPL teams. ?Some of the IPL teams are looking at raising funds from the UK among other countries. Unless they have local presence, it will be difficult to attract investors from overseas. This is why several IPL teams have been looking at local associations and local tournaments,? a top executive of a leading investment banking firm said. A significant presence of non-resident Asians in England, South Africa, the UAE and Australia is also throwing up business opportunities for the IPL teams.