IPL Outsourced

In a week’s time, the cricket’s biggest extravaganza will set its first global footprints, thanks to Indian Government. In an era of outsourcing, India has benefitted the most by bagging the IT and other jobs. However as is the case with any business having money, people around the globe will be more then happy to work with you or work for you. India is the biggest market for cricket and that makes it easy for even the cricketers from first world countries (even those who criticize the playing condition in third world countries) to argue with their national boards about the 6 weeks stint at IPL that can earn them a million dollars.

This time around when this ultra rich baby was aborted by its parents, SA decided to take care of it. Obviously South Africa knows the kind of stimulus IPL can provide in such times. But with that I also see an opportunity for IPL in this. Last year’s IPL was a mega event for sure, but was mostly confined to India or at most in south Asia. This year when the 8 city franchise teams start their journey for the trophy, they will find more supporters in form of those living in Johannesburg and Cape Town. IPL has almost every good cricketer across the globe on its payroll, but still a person in SA or Australia will not be bothered much about the performance of Smith or Lee for RR or Kings XI, just think how much interest we have in county cricket when our players participate in that. However now with the teams starting their journey on an offshore location (a term highly used in outsourcing), it will be interesting to see the kind of interest It can generate there with the help of Big Indian diasporas and bollywood stars.

Franchises may loose some money of ticket receipts and might have to incur additional travel costs (Actually hotels in SA are much cheaper than those in India), but still I consider it a good opportunity for them increase their support base. Still I am not much happy with the format, if every team was allotted a home ground in SA and then they were asked to repeat the same format as that of last year, the city based loyalty might have hit the roof.

From the cricket’s point of view IPL anyways presented a great opportunity for the domestic cricketers to get a feel of Big Games, before venturing into the international arena. This year it takes the experience forward by giving them an opportunity of playing with big guns of cricket at a global location, which must help them and in turn Indian team for future. Anyone can see the evolution of likes of Asnodkar, Ravinder and Dinda. I also feel that this time around the results might be very different from the last year’s as I doubts the capabilities of domestic players on bouncy tracks and that might just change to order of teams.

I will quickly rap up the discussion with a little SWOT analysis of IPL at an offshore location:
Strengths: Teams with international players will be able to get good results as well as support base. Indian domestic players will get more recognition.

Weaknesses: Only four overseas players allowed in a team, thus restricting the global fragrance. Indian domestic players might not be as accustomed to playing the shots on backfoot as compared to their mastery on front foot on slower Indian grounds.

Opportunities: A new market thrown open for IPL and with that it can really get a global status. Also it will be good for Indian cricketers to get a feel of international cricket at international location. The timing is also perfect from Indian team’s perspective as they will play on wickets, which are closer to those they will get in England during world T20, thus enhancing their chances of retaining their champion status.

Threats: With no matches in India, the city bases loyalty may fade. Anyways no Hyderabadi would back Hyderabad this time around :D.