Corruption in IPL
Inducting two teams crucial for BCCI
Tue, Jul 14 2015
BCCI are mulling options to induct two new franchises from two other cities. © BCCI
The BCCI is leaning towards inducting franchises from two other cities to replace Chennai Super Kings and Rajasthan Royals for the 2016 IPL season, high-level sources in the board told TOI. It is also learned to have identified seven potential cities for these franchises on the basis of their revenue potential and infrastructure. Preliminary indications are that at least eight business groups may be interested in owning a team.
The cities are Pune, Kochi (both of which have had IPL teams in the past), Ahmedabad, Indore, Raipur, Ranchi and Kanpur, the sources said.
The bidders said to be keen to own IPL teams are Sajjan Jindal, UK-based tycoon Laks hmi Niwas Mittal, Gautam Adani, the Dhoots of Videocon, South Africa-based Ajay Gupta, the Munjals of Hero Group, Harsh Goenka and Prasad Potluri of Telangana-based PVP Ventures. At least two of them, Goenka and Dhoot, have confirmed to TOI their interest.
BCCI bosses may not be in a tearing hurry to replace CSK and RR as the next IPL is still eight months away , but there seems to be a general consensus that the next IPL too would have eight teams. This is because as per its contract with broadcaster Sony , a minimum of 60 matches have to played, and that will be difficult without eight teams. Board members also agree the two tainted franchises, or their officials, should not be allowed back into the fold through any backdoor. That's why quite a few 'influential' members of the BCCI, including some in the governing council, favour floating a fresh tender for two new franchises instead of allowing the CSK and RR owners to sell off their IPL teams to interested parties under new names.
"If the BCCI allows resale of the two tainted franchises, there is a possibility that the original owners may try to buy them back through intermediary channels, said a senior BCCI member. "It is better to opt for two new franchises through a transparent tendering process and make a fresh start," he added.
There are some in the BCCI who favour a more extreme approach  terminating CSK and RR altogether on grounds of having violated Clause 11.3 of the IPL franchise agreement. That could happen at the September AGM which would wipe out N Srinivasan completely from the BCCI  its unquestioned monarch till as recently as four months back.But that is almost certain to meet with strong resistance, including on the legal front.
Inducting two new teams has become crucial since a six-team tournament, in the current home-and-away format, would make for only 30 round-robin games and four knock-out ones. Clearly , the broadcaster and sponsors would see this as a violation of the terms on which they bid. Besides the pledge to Sony, BCCI has to worry about the drop in its own income if the IPL shrinks by two. In fact, more than India Cements and Jaipur IPL Cricket, it is BCCI which stands to lose money: while the two franchisees will not be earning, they will also be spared of the obligation to spend on players and other heads. BCCI, on the other hand, has standing commitments, from salaries and pensions to players and officials to infrastructure.
Inducting two new teams at this stage, however, comes with its own set of problems. While it would solve the immediate problem of not having eight teams, it would mean that the IPL could become a 10-team event if the two suspended franchis es return to the league in 2018. A 10-team IPL, the sources said, would mean the tournament stretching into June, which would clash not only with the international calendar, but also run into very hot weather.
Another idea on the table, therefore, is for the Chennai and Rajasthan franchises to be taken over by the board itself and run as Team Chennai and Team Rajasthan for the period of the two-year suspension. But that might create a conflict of interest.
Interestingly , in spite of being the most successful team in the IPL, CSK promoters claim that the franchise which boasts a brand value of Rs 1,000 crore, is yet to break even. Ditto for the Royals. So potential investors looking to buy these tainted franchises cheaply run the risk of falling afoul of investigative agencies for it would be hard for them to explain their motive behind striking such a deal.
BCCI will now have to call a special general meeting to ratify the suspensions as well as take the house's approval in case they choose to go in for a fresh auction to replace the two suspended franchises. However , before calling the SGM, the BCCI is likely to wait for the remaining part of the Lodha panel's report, which deals with IPL COO Sundar Raman's role in the scandal.
If the BCCI chooses to float a tender for two more teams, it will only be after the board's next AGM slated in September. Franchises are likely to be allotted on the basis of `walk-in' bids, like in the case of the Hyderabad franchise. Once the new franchises come on board, the BCCI will have to hold an auction for players from CSK and RR along with those that went unsold at the 2015 `mini' auction.
The six 'regular' franchises  KKR, DD, RCB, KXIP , SRH and MI  are not likely to be allowed to take part in this auction, but may be allowed to fill their rosters, on account of injuries and other exigencies, at a later stage.
There is a talk of bringing Kochi Tuskers back into the IPL fold, but there are few takers and BCCI board is almost certain to fight the award in high court and, if necessary, Supreme Court.
© TNN
