IPL vs. NBA vs. NFL vs. CL etc

So, Lalit "Evil Incarnate" Modi thinks the IPL can become the biggest sports franchise in the world.

It won't? Why?

Because all the other sports - no matter HOW commercialised they are - are sports first, profit-makers second. The IPL has it the wrong way around. It's constant, constant hype, with no delivery.

Exemplified by the commentators - who are HIRED by the league and thus lack any objectivity. In every other major sport, the tv networks are separate to the league itself. They don't have "Dunkin Donut Sixes" for touchdowns and "Budweister Triz-ays" for 3 point shots or "Vodagoals!"

Eh?

The NFL and NBA are sponsored to the hilt. Perhaps not to the same extent, but still.



gc.

I watch a shitload of NFL (hardly any NBA)

The commercialisation isn't in the same area code. Apart from the endless ad breaks, there isn't the same degree of product "embedding"

And sport is still central ... rather than money.

I actually agree with you Vadz

It's impossible to get into IPL because it's just so painfully obvious to all sundry that it exists solely as a big pay day for all those involved.

:>

It's only a month long torunament isn't it? Plus while the population of India is undoubtedly massive, it's a Commonwealth sport so the appeal is very liited in terms of the number of nations that will care. Also the fact that many hardcore cricket fans hate 20/20 and it has no prestige whatsoever, if they weren't paid mega bucks and had the choice between a test series and IPL season they'd pick the tests. You could say the money thing applies to other sports but the NFL, NBA, CL etc all have the prestige of being one of the most sought after trophies in sport, the IPL and only attracts players through insane amounts of cash that are not available anywhere else in cricket.

Vadinho is right. The IPL (and the Twenty20 game format in general) was invented for and exists solely for the needs of media agencies (and therefore advertisers). Compare that to the NBA for example, which more or less adheres to the international/standard format of basketball, and has way less blatant sponsorship/product placement.

Pretty sure there are 60 games in an IPL tournament? Definitely longer than a month long.

I actually think it's pretty sweet how players can go there and cream some cash before they retire for good - particularly our guys who get shitall for playing pro here.

March 12 - April 25. So a month and a bit.

There's often a couple of games a night and games every day of the week.

Agree on the IPL, not on the format in general though.



gc.

The format was invented in England for club cricket wasn't it?