Publications
Partners
Arthur Turner
There is little doubt that the Indian Premier League is the Lalit Modi show when one sees the profile and exposure that the man enjoys; the cameras seem to follow him all over the place. He is also not shy to create his own exposure as we saw at Newlands.
Modi opened the IPL on two occasions and was even part of the toss for the first game. However, to his credit he is the energy point of the IPL and it is his brain child. He has built the richest cricket event in the history of the game with a massive profile in a very short time.
The IPL profile is built on Bollywood stars, celebrities, international cricketers and money. Now that the IPL has kicked off, let’s hope that the cricket and cricketers become the focal point as opposed to the celebrities.
The IPL is over commercialised and needs to be because of the astronomical amount of money it pays to the players. The IPL has even instituted a seven minute break at the halfway stage of each innings and termed it a re-strategising session for the teams. This is no more than creating a commercial opportunity to sell additional adverting to the Indian market. It makes no sense to break the momentum of the innings from a playing point of view or for the audience.
Most of the top players like MS Dhoni and Kevin Pietersen are earning over a $1 million for the tournament. We have even seen our own JP Duminy also fall into this bracket. Rich rewards for five weeks work and a maximum of 16 twenty-over matches.
The financial rewards for players to play international cricket for their country does not even start to compare with the IPL even though international cricket’s demands are far greater with regards time, traveling, commitment and pressure. England are the best paid international team and players who play in all the Test matches, Limited Overs Internationals and with bonuses can earn 550 000 pounds (R7.5 million) per year.
Internal challenges
South African players, in a good season, will earn in the vicinity of R2 million. Compare this with Tyron Henderson who earns $650 000 (R6 million) for playing for the Rajasthan Royals in the IPL. Henderson was unable to secure a franchise contract in South Africa.
These are the commercial challenges that the IPL presents to international cricket as we have already seen with the canceling of the Sri Lankan tour scheduled for England in May. The IPL will in future also face its own internal challenges from retired international players who could continue to play for too long because of the astronomical amounts of money available.
I am delighted for the players that these opportunities do exist and also for the management company that I am a partner in as we have growing interests in the IPL with our players. However, if I am honest with myself these dangers are real for cricket.
The IPL has spent a lot of money on the tournament with regards players’, entertainment and glamour but this has not filtered through to the venues or personnel that are hosting these events. Each venue will receive agreed costs to stage the event and R125 000. A venue like Newlands will only receive R750 000 for staging the Cape Town leg of the IPL. Hardly worth the effort when one sees what the players are being paid and the opulence around the IPL.
Arthur is a former cricket administrator and current player agent.
Disclaimer: Sport24 encourages freedom of speech and the expression of diverse views. The views of columnists published on Sport24 are therefore their own and do not necessarily represent the views of Sport24.
There is little doubt that the Indian Premier League is the Lalit Modi show when one sees the profile and exposure that the man enjoys; the cameras seem to follow him all over the place. He is also not shy to create his own exposure as we saw at Newlands.
Modi opened the IPL on two occasions and was even part of the toss for the first game. However, to his credit he is the energy point of the IPL and it is his brain child. He has built the richest cricket event in the history of the game with a massive profile in a very short time.
The IPL profile is built on Bollywood stars, celebrities, international cricketers and money. Now that the IPL has kicked off, let’s hope that the cricket and cricketers become the focal point as opposed to the celebrities.
The IPL is over commercialised and needs to be because of the astronomical amount of money it pays to the players. The IPL has even instituted a seven minute break at the halfway stage of each innings and termed it a re-strategising session for the teams. This is no more than creating a commercial opportunity to sell additional adverting to the Indian market. It makes no sense to break the momentum of the innings from a playing point of view or for the audience.
Most of the top players like MS Dhoni and Kevin Pietersen are earning over a $1 million for the tournament. We have even seen our own JP Duminy also fall into this bracket. Rich rewards for five weeks work and a maximum of 16 twenty-over matches.
The financial rewards for players to play international cricket for their country does not even start to compare with the IPL even though international cricket’s demands are far greater with regards time, traveling, commitment and pressure. England are the best paid international team and players who play in all the Test matches, Limited Overs Internationals and with bonuses can earn 550 000 pounds (R7.5 million) per year.
Internal challenges
South African players, in a good season, will earn in the vicinity of R2 million. Compare this with Tyron Henderson who earns $650 000 (R6 million) for playing for the Rajasthan Royals in the IPL. Henderson was unable to secure a franchise contract in South Africa.
These are the commercial challenges that the IPL presents to international cricket as we have already seen with the canceling of the Sri Lankan tour scheduled for England in May. The IPL will in future also face its own internal challenges from retired international players who could continue to play for too long because of the astronomical amounts of money available.
I am delighted for the players that these opportunities do exist and also for the management company that I am a partner in as we have growing interests in the IPL with our players. However, if I am honest with myself these dangers are real for cricket.
The IPL has spent a lot of money on the tournament with regards players’, entertainment and glamour but this has not filtered through to the venues or personnel that are hosting these events. Each venue will receive agreed costs to stage the event and R125 000. A venue like Newlands will only receive R750 000 for staging the Cape Town leg of the IPL. Hardly worth the effort when one sees what the players are being paid and the opulence around the IPL.
Arthur is a former cricket administrator and current player agent.
Disclaimer: Sport24 encourages freedom of speech and the expression of diverse views. The views of columnists published on Sport24 are therefore their own and do not necessarily represent the views of Sport24.
