IPL: Expanding Wings

    On Sunday, 21st March, 2010 was fix for announcement of two new franchisees’ of Indian Premier League (I.P.L.),the day was drag to 21st March,2010 because of some problems and objections, earlier auction was happened on 7th March,2010.As per information five bidders were in the race -

1. Sahara Adventure Sports Group
2. Rendezvous Sports World Limited
3. Adani Groups
4. VC Digital Solution (Videocon)
5. Pune Consortium

and the cities available for auctions in alphabetic orders were –

• Ahmedabad
• Baroda
• Cuttack
• Dharamsala
• Gwalior
• Indore
• Kanpur
• Kochi
• Nagpur
• Pune
• Rajkot
• Vizag

both teams would be part of I.P.L.Season IV, 2011 and right now from 60 matches in a season ,it will zoom to 94 matches, will be played between ten teams of I.P.L in fourth edition. Sahara Adventure Sports Group bid for three cities Ahmedabad, Nagpur & Pune for same amount that was $370 million (1,702 Crores Rupees), being highest bidder it allowed to opt for any one city and Group goes for Pune. Second successful franchisee is little known consortium Rendezvous Sports World Limited, bid for Kochi for a whopping amount of $333 million (Rs 1533.33 crore), both are proud owner of teams for the period of ten years, as per speculations Minister of State for External Affairs Mr. Shashi Tharoor was behind the consortium of Rendezvous Sports World Limited which comprises -

• Vivek Venugopal
• Anchor Switches
• Rosy Blue Diamond
• Mukesh Patel
• Ravi and Sanjay Gaikwad

but Mr.Tharoor denied and adds his only job had been to get the members in the consortium together and bid for the side. According to reports, both the companies are required to pay 10 percent of the total amount in the next 48 hours. The director of the Rendezvous Sports World Ltd, Pooja Gulati seemed happy after the bid and said that the new team will prove the nation wrong that people of Kerala take less interest in cricket. While talking to media persons after the auction process completed, Mr.Lalit Modi (Chairman and Commissioner I.P.L.) said with inclusion of new teams IPL will get (3235.53 Crores Rupees) as compare to existing eight teams which had fetched a total Rs 2,840 Crores, which is far more from his expectations as base price was reserved $225 million for two new I.P.L. teams.. Modi said he does not foresee IPL growing to more than ten teams in the near future; we have no plans to expand further immediately. The IPL will be limited to ten teams only in near future. There are no plans to hold IPL abroad in the future. I don't foresee any expansion in many years to come but then you never know. The names of the team not finalise yet and stadium in Pune is under construction and will be completed this year but for Kochi team until stadium does not erect they will be allotted stadium in other part of country. When asked will Pakistani players be part of next IPL, Mr. Modi answer diplomatically by saying I want they should be part of next IPL but it will be decides in the month of September or October when auction will be held.