The Indian Premier League cricket tournament began its second edition in South Africa in April after organizers changed the competition venue from the South Asian Nation. Featuring eight teams, this five-week, 59-game event began on 18th April in Cape Town. South Africa, which hosted the inaugural Twenty20 World Cup in 2007 and beat the U.K. to the legal right to host the event. What does it reflect about security in India? How has the shift effected fans and revenue collection?
The IPL was shifted after some Indian state governments expressed doubts about providing adequate security as the tournament coincides with national elections.
Branding guru, Suhel Seth comments on this shift and if it reflects lack of security in the nation in any way.
"Our politicians lacked the courage and intellect to keep something like the IPL in India."
"I don’t think it’s a summary or a picture or a representation of our security weaknesses. It is more reflective of the political will to see things through. It is not that India is insecure its just that we don’t want to take any chances. We as a nation are risk averse, specially our political classes."
"We have had elections before alongside IPL last year. It wasn’t a decision based on rationality, it was a decision based on ego. It was based by the home minister and he exercised his power."
It is expected that the shift may also effect revenue collection. Seth says:
"We lost a lot of tourism and domestic revenue. There was a lot of politics and less cricket involved in this decision."
According to Economic Times in India, it is expected that this year’s tournament would yield 8 billion rupees ($160 million) in revenue. The first IPL match held last year yielded $200 million. Organizers raised $1.8 billion though sponsors, media rights and franchise fees. How has the crowd in India reacted to this shift. Abhishek Gupta an IPL fan in India says:
"There is a slight disappointment that we won't be able to watch it live."
Former Senior Editor Vijay Simha from Tehelka magazine in India comments:
"It was very sensible. Move was excellent from security point of view. There is a cricket benefit. The IPL is meant for young Indian talent to come up. None of them would have got a chance to play in the South African nation in the normal run of things. It is a special experience for the young cricketers."
Security indeed has been a concern after an attack in Lahore on the Sri Lankan cricket team which resulted in six police officers and two civilians dead and five Sri Lankan cricketers and a coach badly injured. This happened exactly 120 days after terrorist attacks to Mumbai which killed 164 people leading to cancellation of Pakistan tour by Indian Cricketers. Indian government has proved itself by taking precautionary measures by shifting the venue to the beautiful city of Cape Town with the grand finale on May 24 in Johannesburg.
By Nikki RattanEditor: Grahame Lucas
for Deutsche Welle Radio
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