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Indian batting icon, Sachin Tendulkar stated the above statement on the prospects of cricket being played in empty stadiums during the COVID-19 pandemic. As the pandemic now recedes and fans are welcomed back into the stadium, some of the questions that fans must ask are: “Are they really being welcomed?”, “Are they really part of the game?” As the new season dawns, Is the Indian Premier League or IPL, reducing fans to mere consumers?
Fans’ awakening across sports
The world of sports has changed massively over the ini. It seems that meaningful engagement of fans has become a necessity. Ownership transparency and fan centred decision making have altered governing decisions over various sports across the world. For instance, Paris 2024 Olympic Games, with their motto, ‘made for sharing’ will open at the heart of the city to symbolize community and sharing as its core values for the future of sports and society. Sportswashing, a phenomenon to ameliorate one’s reputation via sports is being repeatedly called out by fans. Masking one’s commercial interest by displaying love for a sport will not be okay anymore! Formula 1 Motorsport’s Haas F1 Racing team has suspended its operations with its main sponsors Uralkali, as the company has ties with the Russian State. Chelsea FC, the reigning champions of World & European Club Football is under moratorium after its owner Roman Abramovich has been sanctioned by the UK government due to his support for Vladimir Putin over his Ukrainian war advances. Football fans across Europe rose in protest against football club owners over their decision to play in European Super League, a competition perceived against the very spirit of competitive football. #Footballisforfans has now lead governments across Europe to intervene and take policy decisions to create a wider public ownership of clubs by their fans. Corporate owners of Manchester United FC, Liverpool FC now involve fan association members on decision making board and maintain an active engagement with them before policy decisions are announced.
Fans and IPL: not a true love story
Fans and trail of money from sports are now at the centre of global sports governance agenda. India’s crown sport jewel, Indian Premier League has dodged the curveball nevertheless. While the world woke up to the announcement of Russia’s commencement of its Ukrainian Military Operation, the BCCI announced that IPL’s 2022 season will be played across the cities of Mumbai and Pune only. The format of the competition also randomly determines that a team will play against 5 teams of the league twice and play against 4 teams only once. This format severely limits the geographical expanse of the tournament to just one state contradicting the original reason for expansion of the league from 8 to 10 to expand its reach to more parts of the country. The Premier League in UK resumed only after it was assured that the teams will play their games on home territory and not on neutral grounds despite heavy losses to maintain the sanctity of the tournament.
Cricket fans of IPL have always been treated as consumers who will continue to support the tournament without seeking any lasting stake in the tournament itself. This fact is illustrated by two legacy phenomena of IPL. Firstly, IPL franchises have never created any permanent infrastructure to support the game beyond their franchise image and brand value. Commercial interest motivates the unwillingness to create permanent infrastructure such as stadia or fan parks as such investments will likely raise the cost of operation that not only eats into the profit margins but also does not guarantee a higher resale value in the event of sale of the franchise in future. Secondly, players who represent franchises are seen as mercenaries who will play for the highest bidder. Loyalty, affinity or endorsements of owner’s business are not expected attributes. Insistence on moral standards like these will require owners to go public with their own income methods, which will attract scrutiny. Therefore, in ‘we are all winners model’ transparency as a virtue is the first casualty.
Stake one’s claim
In a supercharged cricket loving country, a step for fans to stake a claim over their favourite game will ensure sustainability of the game in the long run. A fan centred, fan owned IPL will save India from a similar fate that has befallen South Africa, Sri Lanka or the West Indies where poor management at top and a consequent decline in funding by investors lead to cricket suffering as a whole. What if in future, cricket isn’t the revenue minting bank as it now seems to be? Will that mean the end of the T20League itself? Indian cricket is seen to be at peak of its powers, it is high time the fans stake claim in the behemoth they have helped to create.
– Kushagra Goyal
These pieces are being published as they have been received – they have not been edited/fact-checked by ThePrint.