| Cricket has gone through a strong metamorphosis, | | | | As per the original plan by the organizers, 2 more |
| moving from the 5 day test match pattern to | | | | teams were to be added to the IPL franchise in 2011 |
| one-day internationals that give 50 overs a team and | | | | - Pune and Kochi. There apparently have been some |
| now, we are into an even more compact format of | | | | wrongdoings in terms of money laundering and |
| cricket called T20 or twenty-twenty. The | | | | corruption underlying some dealings and the way the |
| twenty-twenty format shrinks the game further to | | | | auctions and franchises have been conducted are |
| just 20 overs per team. The present T20 world cup | | | | allegedly not very transparent. So, the past few |
| is supposed to be held from 30th April to 16th May | | | | weeks have brought out a lot of murkiness in the |
| 2010. In addition, we also have different competitive | | | | story to the fore. Now, one of the proposed 2 new |
| events like the Sharjah Cup, the Champion's Trophy | | | | teams was Kochi, in Kerala. The IPL chief, Lalit Modi |
| and so on. Given the slew of cricketing events and | | | | tweeted once revealing the winners of the Kochi |
| the massive fan following they have it was only a | | | | team and also commented that a Kerala MP, and |
| matter of time before a sports entrepreneur decided | | | | Union Minister Dr. Shashi Tharoor was involved in |
| to capitalize on this phenomenon and build one of | | | | 'mentoring' the team. It came to the fore that the |
| India's largest sporting extravaganzas of all time. And | | | | winning bidder, Rendezvous Sports World belonged |
| India being a cricket-crazy nation, the Indian Premier | | | | to Dr. Tharoor's friend, Sunanda Pushkar. What |
| League, which is closely modeled on the hugely | | | | followed was a murky mud-slinging exercise, with |
| successful English Premier League found almost | | | | allegations of wrongdoing flying on all sides. On one |
| instant fan following. | | | | side the union minister was accused of pocketing |
| So, the first installment of the IPL began in 2008, | | | | some money himself, the financial capability of Ms. |
| with 8 teams - Delhi Daredevils, Rajasthan Royals, | | | | Pushkar was called into question, the union minister's |
| Mumbai Indians, Chennai Super Kings, Kolkata Knight | | | | involvement was looked upon with suspicion, his |
| Riders, Deccan Chargers, Kings XI Punjab, Royal | | | | friendship with Ms. Pushkar was questioned and just |
| Challengers Bangalore. The teams are essentially | | | | like it takes a pinprick to open up a can of worms, all |
| named after specific Indian states, and they are | | | | skeletons came tumbling out of the IPL closet. |
| owned by different entities beginning with movie | | | | The taxmen then stepped up and started scrutinizing |
| stars, media conglomerates, and industrialists and so | | | | the records of the bidding process. The bid |
| on. There was massive media frenzy around the | | | | documents of two legitimate bidders who lost were |
| whole event as it started in early 2008, with | | | | interestingly missing. The winning franchise owners |
| international players, Indian players all up for grabs | | | | were not spared either. Save for a couple of teams |
| and a huge auction following it. The teams were | | | | like say the Chennai Super Kings with 100% |
| formed and the matches began. The model was | | | | ownership by India Cements, many other teams |
| interesting in more ways than one. First, players of | | | | seemed to have ownership by different entities, |
| the same country were being pitted against each | | | | some hailing from tax havens like the British Virgin |
| other many-a-time. So, as far as the sport went, we | | | | Islands as well! Clearly the IPL had ventured into a lot |
| could see the magic of Muralidharan along with the | | | | more than just cricket and unification of the sport. |
| keeping of Dhoni in one team. As with seeing | | | | Dr. Tharoor was asked to step down, since it looked |
| Tendulkar and Jayasurya bat on the same side! | | | | as if the minister was exploiting his governmental |
| Secondly, the teams were all tied to different states | | | | powers and the Indian Opposition demanded the |
| or cities. So a Mumbai Indians match versus say Kings | | | | same of the ruling coalition. Ms. Pushkar gave up her |
| XI Punjab was played in Mumbai or in Punjab, and | | | | sweat equity in an attempt to prevent the |
| somehow the scintillation of watching a Mumbai team | | | | resignation of the minister. As if that were not |
| in Mumbai or a Deccan team in AP was brought out, | | | | enough, the erstwhile BCCI (Board of Cricket Control |
| much like how fans find watching Man U play at Old | | | | in India) president Mr. Sharad Pawar and his political |
| Trafford more enjoyable than any other Man U | | | | party were drawn into the controversy. And when |
| match! It even served to unite a state with the | | | | accosted, Mr. Pawar, with whose blessings Lalit Modi |
| underlying theme being cricket. So, while different | | | | had started the IPL franchise, had to disown it all. |
| teams won and lost at different times, the winner | | | | And then, apparently Multi Screen Media (MSM), an |
| clearly was cricket. At the same time, the whole | | | | arm of Sony Entertainment Television paid all of Rs. |
| franchise is valued at over $4 billion! | | | | 125 crore or 1.25 billion rupees to World Sports Group |
| And so, as is the case with any event that gathers | | | | (WSG) for broadcast rights. This money apparently |
| instant stardom and is worth billions of dollars, this | | | | has flown to several beneficiaries with 'political |
| one found its controversies as well. Even the Beijing | | | | connections'. |
| Olympics that were executed to inch-perfect | | | | The controversy keeps getting murkier and different |
| perfection were not spared the controversy, from | | | | entities and their nefarious interests keep coming to |
| lip-syncing ceremony performers to instant shutdown | | | | the fore. And while all this is happening, Mumbai |
| of polluting factories. So how can this sporting | | | | Indians take on Chennai Super Kings in a face/off on |
| enterprise be spared? | | | | Sunday - April 25th. Whether that match is interesting |
| So, IPL2 - the second installment was mired in | | | | or otherwise, the IPL controversy sure makes for |
| controversy over security. The event clashed with | | | | interesting early morning coffee time reading! |
| General Elections in India and so security was of | | | | What does all this mean for me as an Indian? Well, I |
| paramount concern. The Government requested the | | | | was exposed to how a business can take shape out |
| organizers to postpone the tournament till after the | | | | of an Indian fan phenomenon. At school, we had a |
| elections, but this was refused since apparently TV | | | | representative of an IPL team come and give us a |
| rights and slots had been booked. So amid a lot of | | | | talk on their business plan and proposition and that |
| controversy and hue and cry the tournament shifted | | | | was when I realized how an entrepreneur could |
| to South Africa, leaving a disgruntled Indian | | | | capitalize on the two things that stoke the Indian |
| Government and disappointed Indian fans in its wake. | | | | imagination - cricket and glamor. The combination |
| IPL3 was not spared as well. When peace talks with | | | | came as a masterstroke. And now, with the whole |
| Pakistan hit an impasse, some political parties were up | | | | franchise embroiled in controversy, another Indian |
| in arms against allowing Pakistani players from | | | | phenomenon has come to the fore and that is the |
| participating in the IPL. Yet again, the papers | | | | quintessential C for corruption which nowadays |
| screamed out about how some politicians were | | | | seems to underline every enterprise that plans to |
| interfering in sport, and how the unifying spirit of | | | | take shoot in India. Till the controversy opens itself |
| sport was being squandered and so on. Finally newer | | | | up, I guess we at least have enough stories as |
| players were given a chance and the Pakistani | | | | fodder for the media and enough to fill up newsprint. |
| players didn't indeed get a chance to play in IPL3. | | | | So no matter who wins this battle of who is the |
| Now IPL4 though, attracted controversy before it | | | | most corrupt of them all, the winner most definitely |
| could even begin and this controversy has | | | | is the media that finally has one of the juiciest Indian |
| threatened the entire existence of the enterprise - | | | | story of all time. |
| the biggest controversy so far. | | | | |