Few buyers for IPL’S mega auction
Rasesh Mandani
MUMBAI: Is it time IPL bid goodbye to mega auctions? It’s a question that comes up the season after every mega auction and is debated before the collective opinion leans towards holding on to something that’s given the league a distinct identity.
The IPL auction is like the NFL draft, a mega TV property, though unlike drafts it’s not an open event attracting huge crowds. The two-day event in Bengaluru in February saw ₹550 crore splurged by the 10 franchises. A record 50 million TV viewers tuned in as per data from India’s TV ratings body BARC (Broadcast Audience Research Council). Time spent by viewers went up to 3.6 billion minutes from 2.5bn minutes in the 2018 mega auction.
Fan disconnect
A BCCI official was non-committal when asked about the future of the mega auction. But consensus is growing among franchises that it may be time to move on now that the next IPL expansion is not expected any time soon. BCCI too may not be
The first mega auction was held in 2011, followed by such auctions in 2014, 2018 and 2022
A sharp dip in TV viewership this edition was seen as a result of fan disconnect with the re-jigged squads
Franchises fear losing players who they've groomed to fit into their sides
The player development models of teams take a hit
Faf du Plessis (CSK to RCB), Kagiso Rabada (DC to PBKS), Quinton de Kock (MI to LSG) and Trent Boult (MI to RR) were some big names teams lost at the mega auction
averse to the idea and are likely to discuss it with its new media rights partners after next week’s e-auction. One IPL insider says discussions have already been held over its after-effects—drastic squad overhauls. It is believed the resultant fan disconnect may have contributed to poor TV viewership this IPL. BARC, BCCI and broadcasters Disney Star didn’t share viewership numbers but many stakeholders indicate the drop is around 30% from last year.
There may be other reasons too. Mumbai Indians and Chen
nai Super Kings, the two most popular and successful teams, finished last on the table.
After losing five key players in the Pandya brothers Hardik and Krunal, Trent Boult, Quinton de Kock and Rahul Chahar, f i v e - t i me champions MI couldn’t find quality replacements in the auction and that reflected in their poor finish. Delhi Capitals, shaping up as a formidable force in the previous two seasons, suffered after losing many crucial players in the auction.
Franchises are equally concerned about losing younger players who they have nurtured. “It’s just not fair that you build a team, give them a chance, and groom them. They play for your franchise and country and you lose them after three years. IPL needs to relook at it,” Parth Jindal, co-owner, DC, said after the retentions.
Rajasthan Royals lead owner Manoj Badale says: “We’d love for younger players who have been developed at a franchise over many years to be able to be more flexibly retained. That would incentivise franchises to invest more in their academies and grassroots as we do. With regards to the overall squad, I’ll leave that structuring to BCCI and the IPL Governing Council who will be reviewing this.”
Badale is, in principle, for the annual mini auction. “The auctions have kept IPL really competitive. It has meant no team can dominate year-on-year and hence there are many positives around it. It continues to offer a fair process for bringing in new talent into the league,” he said.
Some like Kolkata Knight Riders’ CEO Venky Mysore want to switch to player drafts. “The auction has had its time, place and relevance. There are others who think that way too,” he told former Australia cricketer Brad Hogg on his Youtube channel. “There shouldn’t be this type of forced auction where you put everyone back. Trade, loans, and drafts should be allowed.”
While Indian cricket deliberates over staging the mega auction next time, Pakistan Cricket Board chairman Rameez Raja, taken in by IPL’S success, recently expressed interest in the Pakistan Super League switching from drafts to auction to attract more foreign talent.