IPL Bid The Angels will be Shocked too 2022

Article published by GOPINATH MENON.
IPL Bid The Angels will be Shocked too,IPL Bid,

IPL Bid The Angels will be Shocked too 2022

Like the most of us, even past cricketers who have served the country well in the sport, are pleasantly shocked, at the recent award of IPL Television and Digital media rights. . This vulgar display of wealth reminded me of a old story.

Amongst the past sports hero’s who was undoubtedly one of the most charismatic, was the legendary “Tiger Pataudi”. He was an Oxford Blue, Royal, and aristocratic to the core. Seldom spoke without being spoken to, but was very normal and had a wry sense of British humour.

This story dates back to the late eighties. I was in Sales and Marketing, at the “Ananda Bazar Group” and my responsibility was English Magazines (Sunday, Sports world and Business world) for North India. Mansur Ali Khan, alias Tiger Pataudi, was the Editor of Sports world. The entire editorial team of Sports world was based in Calcutta, but Tiger stayed in Delhi.

The edit team of Sports world would get the advertising agency, to design the ads for each issue and send it to me to get Tigers approval before release. It was routine for me to go to Tigers house every week, around noon at 1 Dupleix Road, (opposite Sena Bhaven in Lutyens Delhi. It was a 5 minute drive from PTI Building to Tigers residence. Tiger would see the advertisement, smirk and say “The Calcutta agency working does not seem to know the “Queens” language properly. He would suggest some changes in copy, and sign the artwork.

During on of these regular meetings, somehow the remuneration of cricket players came up. Tiger, who hung up his boots, after the Eden gardens match vs West Indies in 1976, said they were paid Rs 750 per match with 2 set of whites. Cricket was never a career, as all players were either employed at a national bank or with any government undertaking or Indian Airlines. Cricket was just a sport that made you popular and it felt good he said.

The recent IPL bid for Television and digital rights have put one and all in a tizzy. Over Rs 43,000 crores !! There are many kiniscule statistics that have been highlighted. My favorite is over Rs 50 lac per IPL match ball! Which world are we living in? This bid and the result, has become the most popular conversation amongst the who’s who on the cocktail and twitterati circuit. There are many question marks which no one has a clue about. Some being :
1. How on earth can Digital Rights be more valuable than TV Broadcasting rights?
2. Since Digital bid has grown over 8 times, has the internet penetration proportionately grown since the last bid ?
3. How many countries are as fanatic about Cricket as India to watch it on digital platforms?
4. How will the winning bidder make money?
5. How will advertisers be able to justify parking moneys in their balance sheet on digital platforms?
6. Which all would be the causality media because of these high bids?
7. Would advertising industry also grow exponentially? No one knows the answers, which means either Josh has no limits, or Greed has no limits. If it’s “Josh” which is the catalyst, then its fine, as market forces will decide the altitude, but if its Greed, there has to be a Ringmaster conducting the orchestra. In which case the bubble will burst some day and collateral damage is evident. As a wise man said “when richness surrounds you the sport which created you and made you famous suffers inversely.” Cricket is not a connoisseurs delight anymore, as its become fun, frolic and entertainment.”

In all these jubilation we all seem to have forgotten the real architect “ Lalit Modi” who after the initial bouquets for 3 years, only received brickbats. Lalit did what Kerry Packer could not. He created a Brand, nurtured it and made it bloom. Once the landscape was set, he was not needed anymore.
Time will tell us what would be the after effects of these lavish bids. Which all media companies not so fortunate or flamboyant would bite the dust.
Anyway if “Tiger Pataudi” any of the past great players had been alive today, they would have promptly preferred to die again.

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Gopinath Menon

Currently working was as “Media Advisor” to the Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship, Government of India, New Delhi. India.

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