‘If There’s Window Available’ – BCCI Considering Two IPL Seasons in a Single Year
The major challenge for a second IPL season is finding a free slot in the already busy cricketing calendar.
The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) is considering the possibility of organising two IPL seasons in a single year, as the 17th edition of the cash-rich league kicks off on March 22nd.
The big roadblock for a second IPL season is fitting it into the busy cricket calendar, brimming with bilateral series and ICC tournaments. BCCI chairman Arun Dhumal admits it’s a tough nut to crack, but he’s open to thinking outside the box.
“In the IPL Media Rights for the five-year (2023-2027) cycle, we are planning 74 games in the first two seasons, then gradually go up to 84 in the next two and 94 if we get that kind of a window. As of now, the kind of bilateral arrangement that we have for the coming four years, we need to find a window for 84 games and subsequently for 94,”Arun Dhumal said as quoted by The Telegraph.
“The season is so packed with the bilateral arrangements and ICC events happening every year, it is difficult to find time. But, if there is a window available and if we can do something creative, which adds value to what we are doing, definitely we will look at that,” he added.
As the potential for a second season is being investigated, the format – whether T20 or a briefer T10 variant – is still up in the air. Arun Dhumal clarified that talks about a T10 format haven’t happened yet, and any forthcoming choices will prioritize the game’s welfare.
BCCI Unbothered by Indian Franchise Involvement in Foreign Leagues
Meanwhile, the BCCI isn’t fazed by the increasing trend of Indian franchises venturing into T20 leagues in South Africa, UAE, and the West Indies.
Dhumal views this trend as a response to the decreasing value of bilateral cricket media rights worldwide, with these countries seeking to emulate the IPL’s success and offset financial setbacks.
