BCCI planning to hold 'Mini IPL' with UAE as likely hosts, says chairman Rajeev Shukla

What’s the story?

It has been revealed that BCCI are planning to hold a mini-IPL in the future, with UAE being the likely destination to host the tournament. IPL chairman, Rajeev Shukla, in an exclusive interview with Gulf News, admitted that the board is considering to launch a mini-IPL away from India.

The tournament will supposedly be played in the time slot that was assigned for the Champions League T20. That spot is still vacant in spite of the tournament being scrapped after the 2014 edition.

“One concept that we are deliberating and considering is launching a mini edition of the IPL overseas. We have seen that there is huge attraction for IPL overseas. Earlier, we used to stage our Champions League T20 abroad and that slot is still vacant. We are thinking of a mini edition in that slot,” Shukla said.

In case you didn’t know...

Without a doubt, IPL is one of the best sporting leagues in the world. The 2017 edition got over just a month ago with Mumbai Indians winning their third title. The BCCI has already set their eyes on the 2018 season. A tender was conducted by them for the title sponsors and Vivo won the rights for the next five years for a whopping 2100 crore.

Extra cover: VIVO retains IPL's title sponsorship rights for next five years

Details

Shukla went on to praise the fans in Dubai for the kind of enthusiasm they showed during the first leg of the tournament in 2014 and confirmed that the United Arab Emirates is the likely destination to host the tournament.

He also gave away the fact that the governing council was planning to change the revenue sharing model. Previously, the franchises used to take the license fee but now, they will be sharing the revenue with the BCCI.

He also confirmed that there will be just eight teams in the IPL as expanding the number of teams to 10 will see 84 matches being played, whereas it takes just 59 with eight teams in the fray.

Extra cover: Rahul Dravid likely to end association with the IPL

What’s next?

Chennai Super Kings and Rajasthan Royals are set to come back into the fray after being suspended for two years due to the involvement of their owners in the 2013 IPL spot-fixing scandal. However, it is highly unlikely that the BCCI will have a mini-IPL in the next two years.

Extra cover: Sanjeev Goenka in London to discuss ownership of Rajasthan Royals

Author’s Take

Though IPL is one of the most entertaining leagues in the world, it could be an overkill for both players and the fans if the tournament takes place twice a year. There is already a section of fans which feels that the current structure is too long and boring.