New Delhi: Ahead of the start of IPL 2021 Phase 2 in UAE, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) is planning to expanded two new teams in the next edition of the Indian Premier League (2022).
As per report, BCCI has put forward six cities- Guwahati, Ranchi, Cuttack (all East), Ahmedabad (West), Lucknow (Central Zone), and Dharamsala (North) for sale. Ahmedabad is the strongest candidate while Guwahati and Lucknow are contenders for another franchise. The auction process will be finalised next month with BCCI setting Rs 2,000 crore base price for the two new teams.
“The BCCI is expecting anything in the range of 5000 crore if not more. There will be 74 IPL games next season and it’s a win-win situation for everyone. IPL teams are a great investment and have given the initial investors great returns. We don’t think base price of 2,000 Cr is too much and we expect to get 3000-3500 Cr per team”, a top BCCI official was quoted as saying to InsiderslSport.
The board has considered the zonal imbalance and business opportunities while shortlisting these cities. The IPL has more representation in the south than any other region, with three teams Chennai Super Kings, Royals Challengers Bangalore, and Sunrisers Hyderabad. Delhi Capitals and Punjab Kings represent the north, while Kolkata Knight Riders and Mumbai Indians represent the east and the west respectively. Jaipur, the home city of Rajasthan Royals comes under Central Zone.
The BCCI is aiming to take the IPL to two new cities in Hindi-speaking regions to keep a pan-India balance of the league. One of the major reasons behind this is also the popularity of cricket in the region.
