BCCI is planning to have IPL during September-October

In a big blow to cricket fans in India, the 2020 Indian Premier League (IPL) edition won’t be held in April and May – the official window for the world's richest cricket league. Instead, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) will try to accommodate the tournament sometime towards the end of the monsoon or start of the autumn season – which could signal the postponement of several bilateral tournaments.

Sources close to Sportskeeda confirmed that the BCCI is attempting to identify an IPL window in the month of September/October.

Due to the 'force majeure' clause between the board and the broadcaster, BCCI will not lose any money for the inability to host IPL due to external circumstance this year. However, sources confirmed that even the broadcaster will not lose a lot of money because IPL is an insured property.

Speaking exclusively to Sportskeeda, a top IPL team official said, "Cancellation is a distant dream. The board is positive to stage IPL at some point later this year."

According to sources, BCCI is yet to claim the contractual money from the broadcaster yet. Once the cancellation is officially confirmed, BCCI will initiate contractual payouts with the broadcaster.

Our source added, "Ideally, it won’t look good if BCCI makes Rs 3,500 crore for not hosting the event. The board will try to stage the event at some point when the covid-19 is controlled completely."

That being said, a senior insurance company official confirmed to Sportskeeda that the BCCI might not be liable for a payout as the insurance cover doesn't include a special situation such as an epidemic or a pandemic.

Also see – Indian Premier League 2020 schedule

The BCCI also firmly believes that the IPL cannot take place without the presence of foreign players. Likewise, the foreign boards also want IPL to happen, so that their players get some practice ahead of the T-20 World Cup in October, if the pandemic comes to a halt.

A senior BCCI official also confirmed that an insurance pay-out might be tough, if the tournament doesn't happen by the end of the year. However, according to the official the novel coronavirus pandemic doesn't fall under the 'natural calamity' category.

IPL players will get specific contractual payments if tournament is cancelled

An IPL team official also revealed that players, who have an IPL contract will not get their payments if the tournament gets cancelled this year. However, it will not be the case of no play and no play completely.

“Even if a bilateral series is cancelled off, the players are not meant to make any match-fee money out of it till the series happens again. But they will get the contractual payment,” a team official said while adding that there is a formula for paying the players as well.

The broadcaster could stand to lose 10 to 20 per cent, if the event is cancelled. That being said, BCCI isn’t thinking that far. The bigwigs are of the opinion that the board would visit all these probabilities if IPL is cancelled, due to multiple issues posed by the novel coronavirus threat.

“Who will issue visas for foreign cricketers? If at all India is risk-free to host the IPL, how will IPL happen without foreigners?” a franchisee official stated.

In the third week of March, a decision was taken to postpone IPL 2020 to April 15, but with the 21-lockdown period ending on April 14, there remains a huge question mark on when the BCCI plan to conduct the cash-rich league.

The official also drew parallels to the postponement of the Tokyo Olympics 2020, citing that if a global event such as the Olympics can be pushed, then the IPL can be delayed as well.

Shortened version of IPL a possibility in late 2020

Sportskeeda also understands IPL cancellation wont just affect the players, but will also put the revenue generated by IPL vendors, event managers and others in jeopardy.

The source, however, sounded slightly optimistic and claimed that there could well be a shortened version of the IPL, only if the situation gets better before the World T20.

“There could a truncated IPL before the World T20, and that too only if all is well," the source added.

Sportskeeda has been reporting for last three days that IPL would not be held, and eventually, the decision to cancel the tournament seems to have been taken.

While this unprecedented situation has left the BCCI helpless, the figures involved speak volumes of how much money could be lost in the whole process of cancellation.

The source claimed that the IPL broadcasters were selling 10 second slots for close to ₹12 lakh, and if the IPL is scrapped this year, it could dent the overall revenue associated with the event on a large scale.