The rapid rise of franchise-based cricket leagues across the world has long evoked strong reactions supporters citing it as a next step in the evolution of the game while critics pointing out that it may ultimately end up pushing international cricket down the pecking order. Whichever side of the fence one sits, there’s no denying that popularity of T20 leagues with private entities splashing jaw dropping amounts to acquire teams and players.
The growth of Indian Premier League (IPL) in particular has been a major development in the past decade or so as the domestic tournament has become one of the richest sports events in the world competing with the likes of well-established England’s Premier League (football) and USA’s National Football League (NFL).
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Former England captain Andrew Strauss has made a huge prediction that IPL will one day surpass NFL to become the biggest sports league in the world.
“As the Indian economy grows, it is expected that by the time it reaches parity with the size of the USA in 2040, the value of the IPL is likely to be six times what it is today – this is going to be the biggest domestic sporting tournament in the world, bar none,” Strauss said while delivering the Cowdrey lecture at Lord’s.
He also said that the rise of franchise cricket is a step in the right direction which will allow diverse people to get involved with the sport.
“If you allow yourself to keep bound up in the thesis that the purpose of the game is to bring diverse people together, whether playing or watching and to allow cricket to educate and connect, then surely the rise of franchise cricket is one of the great steps forward,” he said.
“More players are playing in different parts of the world, experiencing new places and meeting new people, more and more people around the globe are engaged with the great game that we all love so much,” he added.
He pointed out the record sum private business houses in India dished out to acquire the five franchises for the inaugural Women’s Premier League (WPL) as a proof how women’s cricket is now standing on its own.
BCCI Secretary Jay Shah had revealed last moth that the combined bid it received for the five teams surpassed to that of what the board received for the inaugural season of men’s IPL In 2008.
“The first IPL franchises have just been sold for an earth-shattering sum of £465 million ($572.5 million),” Strauss said.
He continued, “Women’s cricket is truly standing on its own two feet and is likely to be in the top three sports for earning potential for any young girl with talent and an ambition to play sport professionally.”
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