The winners were identified after the opening of the sealed bids in Mumbai on Wednesday, with the BCCI receiving a record amount of Rs 4669.99 crore (approximately USD 572.78 million). Ahmedabad team sold for the highest price: INR 1289 Crore (USD 158 Million approx), followed by Mumbai (INR 912.99 Cr / USD 111 Million approx), Bengaluru (INR 901 Cr / USD 110 Million approx), Delhi (INR 810 Crore / USD 110 Million approx) ) Crore/USD 99.35 Million approx) and Lucknow (INR 757 Crore/USD 92.85 Million approx).
IPL chairman Arun Dhumal said finalizing the schedule and schedule for the first season of the WPL is “a work in progress”. There is also a player auction to be held, the details of which are yet to be released.
A total of 16 entities participated in the bidding process on Wednesday, when 17 entities had submitted their bids.
Jai Shah: ‘A red letter day’
The BCCI was very happy with the way the auction went. While secretary Jay Shah called it “another red-letter day”, Dhumal called it “a historic day” for both the BCCI and the IPL brand.
In 2008, the BCCI received USD 723.59 million for selling the first set of eight men’s IPL teams. Looking at the conversion rate at that time, the IPL deal was worth around Rs 2894.36 crore. Taking into account the current inflation rate, Dhumal said the valuation of the WPL was “bigger” than the men’s IPL in terms of money received from the sale of teams.
Shah said that the WPL was the “second most valuable” league in cricket after the men’s IPL. Although Shah did not explain the basis of his claim, it is likely that he was linking the money from the franchise sale with the valuation of media rights.
“The onus is on our shoulders to see that with the faith reposed in BCCI, we work extra hard to ensure that this Women’s Premier League is at par with the men’s league, if not better,” Dhumal said. , “We take this as a challenge and we will leave no stone unturned to ensure that we match what we have been able to achieve for the WPL and what we have done for the IPL.”
WPL auction likely to be held in first week of February
Dhumal said the BCCI is looking forward to start the WPL soon after the Women’s T20 World Cup, which will be played in South Africa from February 10 to 26. The BCCI also wants the WPL to end a week before the start of the men’s. IPL likely to be held on April 1 to keep venues fresh
“About [the venues for the] In the first season, we are still talking,” said Dhumal. “It is a work in progress. We have to look at the logistical challenges involved in its case [WPL] Should be multi-city value or single-city value.”
Shah said the date for the players’ auction is not final, but suggested the first week of February as a possible date. The WPL has fixed a purse of Rs 12 crore (about USD 1.47 million) per team for the first season.
BCCI hopes to organize ‘most competitive and most loved’ event
The BCCI was confident of selling five WPL teams for good money despite not setting a base price, unlike in 2008 when eight men’s IPL teams were sold.
“We’ve already sold [WPL] media rights and they [franchises] Will do our calculations,” Shah said. “We were quite sure that we don’t need any floor price.”
Dhumal said valuations are determined by the market. “It’s not our job to deliver or create value,” he said. “Four of the five successful bidders are existing partners of the BCCI. They have seen and developed with us over the last 15 years. So they are the best people to evaluate. Our job is to ensure that the tournament is the most competitive and Most favorite and hottie for fans.”
RCB ‘backs investment’ in foreign leagues to buy WPL team
“This is a historic moment for Indian cricket and we are delighted to be a part of it,” Mumbai Indians owner Nita Ambani said in a statement. “India’s women cricketers have always made the country proud in the global sporting arena – be it the World Cup, the Asian Cup or most recently the Commonwealth Games. This new women’s league will once again shine a global spotlight on the talent, strength and potential. Our girls.”
“I am sure our women’s MI team will take Mumbai Indians’ brand of fearless and entertaining cricket to a whole new level,” said co-owner Akash Ambani. “As we bring the MI experience and best practice to women’s sport, we look forward to watching our women’s team excel and inspire future generations of female athletes.”
RCB chairman Prathamesh Mishra pointed out that the group had refrained from bidding for teams in the men’s ILT20 and SA20 leagues to focus energy on the WPL. “We froze all of our investments in overseas teams in order to own a team that aligns with this philosophy and core value, and we are very pleased to positively mark this achievement.”
RCB Vice President Rajesh V Menon said, “We have been following the women’s league very closely and our scouting team has been eyeing women cricketers for some time now as part of RCB’s hinterland scouting system , and that gives us immense pleasure. To see it all come together for a team ready to play for the inaugural edition of the Women’s IPL in the country.”
Roger Binny ‘surprised’ at improvement in women’s cricket
“right now you know women empowerment is the age of, ” he said. “That’s why I think people are very keen to invest in women. Out of this we will bring good girls from districts, cities and states [to increase the talent pool],
Corporates willing to spend on women’s cricket and crowds – as seen during the recent white-ball series between India and Australia in Mumbai – set to turn out in large numbers, BCCI expects WPL to grow exponentially Is.
“The game has come a long way and now with the arrival of WPL, it can take players even further. As happened in the men’s section, the game has really progressed and the game has improved a lot. The same thing is going to happen. Happens in women’s cricket.”
Nagraj Gollapudi is news editor at ESPNcricinfo
