IPL to rule the world.

IPL set to make multi-millionaires
By Ben Dorries
May 06, 2008 AUSTRALIA'S cricketers may soon be among the nation's richest sportsmen with the lucrative Indian Premier League's salary cap likely to be scrapped and top players poised to sign astronomical IPL contracts of up to $15 million.

In a development that has the potential to rock cricket's foundations, several of Australia's leading players have been told the $US5 million salary cap for each IPL franchise will be abolished in future years.

That will create a free market in which cashed-up Indian franchises will have no limit to their buying power. They will be able to splurge much more than the $1.65 million paid to Indian poster boy M.S. Dhoni and the $1.47 million paid to Australia's Andrew Symonds this year.

Other leading Australian players at the top of their game, like Brett Lee, can expect massive pay rises. Dhoni told one senior Australian player last week that he had been promised the IPL's biggest names could expect extraordinary contracts of up to $14-15 million after the salary cap is abolished.

It has been reported that several IPL franchises are in a financial black hole but two leading Australian players revealed their franchises were prepared to splurge many more millions.

Australia's IPL stars have gathered in Brisbane, with the rest of their Test teammates, where the pre-Caribbean tour camp was abuzz with talk of the rivers of IPL gold.

Matthew Hayden confirmed that he had heard the IPL salary cap would be wiped out in the future, and he said there seemed little doubt that player payments would go through the roof.

"From what I have heard, some of the stuff (payments) this year could be just the tip of the iceberg," Hayden said.

IPL chairman and cricket powerbroker Lalit Modi does not disguise the fact that the IPL salary cap could soon be a thing of the past.

Modi only set the salary cap for the first season of the IPL because he did not want only a select few rich teams who could win the title.

"If we hadn't done that, I can tell you that our players would already be the highest-paid across any sport in the world," Modi said. "It will happen - if not today, then tomorrow. Because once the franchises have established themselves, it will be a free-for-all."

News of the possible scrapping of the salary cap - and the potential for IPL players to be paid up to $15 million - will go down like a lead balloon in Cricket Australia offices.

There were already fears the huge IPL player payments could fracture world cricket by forcing internationals to consider their future and potentially trade a baggy green cap for a financial bonanza in the IPL.

Australia's players could be forced to choose between country and dollars next year, with the 2009 IPL set to clash with Australia's Test tour of South Africa and a one-day series in Pakistan.
If the IPL salary cap were quashed, as expected, leading international players could earn more for seven weeks work in the IPL than they could in a whole career toiling for Australia.

The only solution appears to be to carve out a designated window in the international cricket calendar - where the IPL could be staged as a stand-alone event without any clashes with Test or one-day cricket.

$15 million for 7 weeks of cricket? That would be about 10 times more money than a top footballer in the English Premier League would earn in the same time period. Surely the franchise owners wont be so reckless.

This makes no sense. Franchises are in financial black holes yet they are gonna splurge millions?? Sounds like the US banks and the sub-prime fark-up to me.

It depends which franchises are actually making a profit out of the IPL. From what i've heard, Kolkata, Hyderabad, and Mohali are struggling, but the rest seem to be doing ok.

Mumbai, Chennai, Delhi, and Bangalore have the most cash to throw around.

Kolkata should be the most well off, considering their fan following both in Kolkata and outside, which is reported to be the best of the lot. Mumbai and Delhi also shouldn't be too worried, even if they don't do too well.

But 3 successful franchises does not a successful IPL make.

skully wrote:But 3 successful franchises does not a successful IPL make.

Going by posts above yours, one can count 5 successful franchises and 3 not so much.

IPL is already more or less a success, I think, atleast in the viewership stakes.

would be interesting to see the auction when the caps are off, and if the icon system is scrapped. though i cant think of sachin in any other team

instead of a yearly auction maybe they should have a more football system, with players able to choose which team they want to play for, even if it means a bit less money. thats the only way a fan will be able to identify with his team's players

So Kolkata will become the Chelski or Man U of the IPL?

I cannot see how they are making anough money to turn over a profit. With the credit crunch I reckon these franchises will go under pretty soon.

I'd increase the maximum amount of overseas players to 6. There's some great players (Both Indian and international) playing in the IPL at the moment, but there is also a fair bit of local tripe due to the teams being required to field 7 local players.

None of the franchises are in the black ie. they are all losing money at this point. So until the full season runs out any such claims as the one by Modi are indeed reckless. He is getting carried away by the crowds at the ground which I understand have been mostly freebies and the TV ratings thus far for the first two weeks which have been good.

What sustains sport in the long run is passioniate fan whose tribal instncts have been kindled. Not sure IPL is doing that as yet. So many fans are confused and still carrying bannsers with slogans such as "India Jeethega".

There were stories of how the corporates needed to sell the tickets cheap and even hand out tickets free if possible to get the crowds. Frankly speaking once the Euphoria dies down, no one will care a crap and the future editions will have a hard time justifying the mammoth investments. A T20 match a day, daily is like a soap opera whose charm will soon wear off.

The One wrote:would be interesting to see the auction when the caps are off, and if the icon system is scrapped. though i cant think of sachin in any other team

instead of a yearly auction maybe they should have a more football system, with players able to choose which team they want to play for, even if it means a bit less money. thats the only way a fan will be able to identify with his team's players

I don't think there will be any more auctions.

The lifting of the salary cap will probably just mean that the franchises will buy more big name international players, rather than someone like Dhoni having his proce lifted to $15 million

All sounds a bit like the promises made for Super League in the late 90s.

Also, the reasons that the current players can command such big numbers is because of their reputations forged in the Test (and to a lesser extent JAMODI) arena. If we no longer have those, T20 will have to develop its own "superstars" which it is highly unlikely to be able to do given that it is such a carp sport.

JGK wrote:All sounds a bit like the promises made for Super League in the late 90s.

Also, the reasons that the current players can command such big numbers is because of their reputations forged in the Test (and to a lesser extent JAMODI) arena. If we no longer have those, T20 will have to develop its own "superstars" which it is highly unlikely to be able to do given that it is such a carp sport.

Um, weren't the 2 highest bids for Dhoni and Sharma?

JGK wrote:All sounds a bit like the promises made for Super League in the late 90s.

Also, the reasons that the current players can command such big numbers is because of their reputations forged in the Test (and to a lesser extent JAMODI) arena. If we no longer have those, T20 will have to develop its own "superstars" which it is highly unlikely to be able to do given that it is such a carp sport.

David Hussey (Who has never played tests or ODI's for Aus) attracted more money than Ricky Ponting based on his domestic T20 record.

Dhoni being the Indian JAMODI captain and test wk.


Not sure what the Sharma bid was but no doubt it was substantially higher than it would have been if he hadn't had such a good test series in Oz.

No, the limitation of foreigners means that the higher calibre Indians will cost more because the franchises are paying for quality on an unlimited source. It's straightforward. A bit like the Premiership - if you want home nations players, you have to pay more for them(although this is more of a 'moral' quotient, rather than any legalities).

"limited source", no?

Why do posters assume that the owners are looking for a return on their money.
I heard the Mumbai team cost 111 million,there is no way that the owner would expect a return on that,but he must expect to recoup a lot of it.I think it is a case of paying a lot of money to have fun,and rub shoulders with the greats,and indulge in a sport you love,just as Russell Crowe does with his rugby team?he sponsors or owns.I am sure all the owners have money to burn.What cricket fan would not love to own a cricket team.

JGK wrote:Dhoni being the Indian JAMODI captain and test wk.


Not sure what the Sharma bid was but no doubt it was substantially higher than it would have been if he hadn't had such a good test series in Oz.

I keep hearing about this great test series.

Wasn't it 6 @ 59.66?

You didn't watch it then?