IPL - The Next Big Thing !!

Indian Premier League, more famously known as IPL, a league started by BCCI (Board of Cricket Control in India), to counter the threat of Essel’s group rebel league ICL (Indian Cricket League). Both the leagues were created on the guidelines of successful club football leagues existing in other parts of the world, EPL (English Premier League) being one of many. Certainly, all the credit for popularizing club cricket in India can’t be given to BCCI. So far, ICL has conducted four tournaments and all of them have been a success for both the organizers and the players.
This was the first time players were auctioned in cricket, and not surprisingly they were bought from franchises for whooping amounts. Apart from cricketers becoming millionaires overnight, the biggest plus point has been the globalization of World cricket. Players from different parts of the world sharing the same dressing room, playing in the same team and passing on their skills to cricketers from other countries is certainly going to benefit all the players.
IPL has caused the big two public affecting forces in India, Cricket and Bollywood, to combine and work together. Bollywood actors have became a part of IPL as investors and as well as promoters. Because of the hefty amount of money involved in IPL, the crowd’s and media’s expectations have grown on an enormous scale. The amount for which the television broadcast and promotion rights were bought and the rate at which the tickets have been sold off indicate the ever growing excitement generated by this new concept.
With only a few days left for the IPL kickoff (IPL starts with a T20 tournament), it yet remains to be seen whether it’s a successful investment or not. Indian public is looking forward to IPL, but many questions remain unanswered, is it a big gamble, will all the investors be paid back, the Indian public which is quite used to supporting India will be able to make the adjustment and support a club side having players from different countries, IPL consists of 8 clubs which are based on 8 different cities of India will it bring regionalism into cricket, will it change the fortunes of young aspiring cricketers who can earn a lot while playing in this league and many more; considering all these, is IPL really going to be the next big thing in World sports ??