The BCCI (Board of Control for Cricket in India) has planned to bring out 2 new franchises in the Indian Premier League to make it a 10 team tournament in 2021. According to sources, BCCI is now thinking of introducing just one team in 2 seasons before introducing the 10th team.
Since 2008, IPL has been an eight-team tournament. BCCI tried to introduce two new franchises in 2011. However, because of multiple controversies, the tournament was back with eight teams in IPL 2014.
The possibility of adding two new franchises to IPL seems unlikely now. Firstly, BCCI is unable to host 90 plus matches at the moment because of the FTP (future tour program) of the ICC. As per sources, ” nine teams work well until a new FTP can fall in place (2023) and BCCI can introduce the 10th team.“
Second, the board is expecting the base price of somewhere around $300 m (approx. Rs 2000 crores) for the new franchise at present but is not sure that in the prevailing market that more than one venue can attract that kind of investment.
Sources said, “ There are buyers. That’s not the point. But are there enough buyers coming to the table where bidding can be a competitive process? For one franchise? Yes, for two? Let’s see.”
Third, with Ahmedabad’s Sardar Patel Stadium in Motera, reportedly the biggest and fanciest cricket stadium in the world when ready, is slated to be ready for cricket from March 2020. “There will be takers, given the following for cricket in Ahmedabad and the resources available there. So if a tender is bought out for one franchise right now, there will certainly be a great amount of interest and will set a future benchmark “ sources added.
