Encouraged on by the incredible success of the Indian Premier League (IPL), the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) is planning to introduce a new, tier-2 tournament akin to the IPL, according to an exclusive report from Money Control.
While the report adds that the cricket board is still not firm on whether to keep the T20 format or go for the more recently-introduced T10 format, a blueprint for the T10 format is apparently under works.
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Money Control's sources, who chose to remain anonymous, stated that Jay Shah, the BCCI secretary himself, is working on the league, with potential sponsors, investors, and stakeholders on board with the idea.
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When will this tier-2 cricket tournament take place?
The league's inaugural edition could take place as early as 2024, with a September-October window being discussed by BCCI.
IPL begins every year in late March/early April and ends in late May/early June. September/October presents the perfect time to host such a tournament because BCCI usually opts not to organise India's home games during this period due to monsoon playing a huge factor.
Where will this tier-2 cricket tournament take place?
It's obvious that the first edition of this tournament will take place in India itself. However, the report goes on to add that it is possible that a new country could host the tournament every year.
Currently, several cricket boards aren't making enough money from the sale of their home bilateral rights to support themselves over time. These boards might benefit financially from a possible revenue-sharing arrangement with the BCCI.
Saudi Arabia, in an effort to boost their tourism, have already contacted the Indian cricket board in the past to partner with them. Could the birth of a new tournament open up an opportunity for Saudi Arabia to be the hosts in the future? Only time can tell.
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Will cricketing superstars across the globe feature in this tournament?
It remains to be seen if the world's best white-ball cricketers are given the green light to participate in this tournament.
Given the stature that IPL holds in world cricket, both in sporting and economic terms, it cannot be threatened by another league which could potentially gain more popularity over time.
As such, the BCCI are reportedly in a dilemma as they might decide to introduce an age-cap.
Which teams will feature in this tournament?
Right now, there has been no confirmation about which teams will play in the tournament and which cities they will represent.
Whether the franchises for this new league may be offered through a separate tender procedure or if the current IPL franchises can be granted the right of first refusal is still up in the air.
Regarding the current agreements between the BCCI and the owners of the IPL teams, it is known that the franchises have the first say over any business plan the BCCI wants to introduce that is similar to the IPL.
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