| With the ability to fill cricket stadiums, attract | | | | the best players from around the world. Recall the |
| between 7 million and 24 million television viewers for | | | | Super Series that pitted the mighty Australians |
| a single match, the Indian Premier League's (IPL's) | | | | against an ICC World team comprised of superstars |
| popularity is beyond question. IPL commissioner, Lalit | | | | from other cricket playing countries. The IPL brought |
| Modi, would have been pleasantly surprised at the | | | | together international stars on the Indian circuit. Fans |
| resounding success of a tournament that only aimed | | | | got to witness Sanath Jayasuriya and Sachin |
| to out-perform the rebel Indian Cricket League (ICL). | | | | Tendulkar opening the batting in a team that included |
| The success of the IPL is not down to chance but a | | | | Dwayne Bravo and Shaun Pollock. |
| combination of factors and circumstances. | | | | Other stars like Adam Gilchrist, Shane Warne, |
| == IPL's appeal to the Indian market == | | | | Jacques Kallis populated IPL teams, in addition to the |
| With a population exceeding one billion and a | | | | star Indian players like Harbhajan Singh, Rahul Dravid |
| cricket-mad society, India is the most lucrative | | | | and Virender Sehwag-the list can go on and on. Even |
| market for cricket in the world. The Indian Premier | | | | when the international players in the IPL were not |
| League is essential an Indian tournament that was | | | | stars, the IPL franchises were able to recruit the |
| meant to be played with India. The IPL's popularity | | | | best T20 players from other leagues who made a |
| owes a great deal of its lustre by being attractive to | | | | name for themselves in the IPL. The use of star |
| a large percentage of cricket fans in India. In the | | | | players from around the world increased the global |
| 2008 edition of the IPL, the stands were packed to | | | | appeal of the tournament. |
| capacity as the locals turned out in droves to support | | | | == Other innovations == |
| their local franchises. Even when the 2009 IPL was | | | | The IPL included some novel innovations that kept |
| held in South Africa, viewership was still worthy | | | | followers interested. The concept of an auction for |
| enough because it still got traction with Indian | | | | players was something new to cricket. The prices |
| viewers. | | | | the players fetched in the auction added to the |
| == The T20 product == | | | | spectacle and excitement of the tournament. IPL |
| Since its introduction in England, the T20 product | | | | organisers involved Bollywood stars like Shah Rukh |
| took off-even before the Indian Premier League was | | | | Khan and Shilpa Shetty in the franchise initiative with |
| formed. Domestic T20 competitions were the rage in | | | | great success and integrated dancers, music, and |
| England, South Africa and the West Indians already, | | | | ensured that each franchise was geographically linked |
| demonstrating that there was a vibrant, untapped | | | | to an area. As such, the Chennai Super Kings and |
| market for the shorter form of the game. The | | | | Mumbai Indians were based in Chennai and Mumbai |
| shortest form of cricket is exciting and action-packed. | | | | respectively, facilitating parochial support. Such |
| Viewers and spectators do not have to spend an | | | | innovations were carefully done in order to maximize |
| entire day watching a game and it makes use of the | | | | the appeal of the IPL to the Indian market and the |
| prime time slot nicely, so folks can enjoy a match | | | | global audience as well. |
| after work and still have time left over. The T20 | | | | == Conclusion == |
| game eliminates the meandering middle overs of the | | | | The list of reasons for the IPL's success can go |
| 50-over game and accentuates the pressure. With | | | | much further, but the main reasons are its star |
| only 120 legal deliveries in an innings, the pressure is | | | | attraction (in the ownership and players), market, the |
| one from the start. Cricket fans already loved the | | | | product offered and well-considered innovations. |
| T20 format-the IPL merely took advantage of the | | | | Arguably, the major draw of the IPL is its |
| tide. | | | | international appeal and global following that was |
| == Use of star players == | | | | demonstrated in the success of the second edition, |
| Even before the IPL, fans loved the idea of seeing | | | | which South Africa hosted. |