03-16-2009, 01:37 PM
New Delhi: The fate of Board of Control for Cricket in India-promoted Indian Premier League (IPL) is still uncertain with security issues dogging the Twenty20 cricket tournament.
The meeting between the BCCI officials and the Home Ministry, which took place in New Delhi on Monday, failed to break the deadlock regarding the schedule of the second season of the Indian Premier League.
Five BCCI officials went into the crucial meeting to discuss the internal security in the mega event which is clashing with the election dates.
The Union Home Ministry plans to ask the IPL organisers to hold proper consultations with the states in which they want to hold the Twenty20 matches.
Most of the states have voiced their inability to provide security during the matches due to General Elections.
However, IPL Chairman and Commissioner Lalit Modi said that before coming out the new fixtures, all states concerned had been taken into confidence.
Reports suggest that West Bengal may be taken off from the schedule as the state was demanding deployment of 30 companies of central para-military forces.
With IPL clashing with 15th Lok Sabha elections and security continuing to be a major issue, the options before IPL are limited.
The first option for IPL is to shift matches from main venues to smaller venues like Dharamsala, Cuttack, Raipur, Ahmedabad and add the number of grounds they already have.
It will mean logistically they can conduct more matches every day keeping security concerns in mind and also the willingness of the states involved.
The second option is a fall-back option in which the IPL board may split the championship into two parts. First half of will take place in April-May and second half of it after India's tour of the West Indies in July.
However, the second option will be a logistical nightmare in terms of availability of international players and cost of the tournament.
In the third option, the IPL can be truncated and a shorter version agreed upon where teams play seven matches on neutral venues instead of home and away basis.
However, it will mean sponsors will not get value for their money and will be forced to return part of it.
This option can cost IPL close to Rs 400 crore and franchises may have to shell out some of their personal sponsorship money.
The last option is of course to cancel the IPL but it will lead to a huge financial loss.
Meanwhile, in more trouble for the league, Bombay High Court on Monday restrained IPL from discussing the broadcasting rights with any other company. The court has also asked IPL to produce more documents.
Sony TV has taken the IPL to court for discussing telecast rights with other channels.
The meeting between the BCCI officials and the Home Ministry, which took place in New Delhi on Monday, failed to break the deadlock regarding the schedule of the second season of the Indian Premier League.
Five BCCI officials went into the crucial meeting to discuss the internal security in the mega event which is clashing with the election dates.
The Union Home Ministry plans to ask the IPL organisers to hold proper consultations with the states in which they want to hold the Twenty20 matches.
Most of the states have voiced their inability to provide security during the matches due to General Elections.
However, IPL Chairman and Commissioner Lalit Modi said that before coming out the new fixtures, all states concerned had been taken into confidence.
Reports suggest that West Bengal may be taken off from the schedule as the state was demanding deployment of 30 companies of central para-military forces.
With IPL clashing with 15th Lok Sabha elections and security continuing to be a major issue, the options before IPL are limited.
The first option for IPL is to shift matches from main venues to smaller venues like Dharamsala, Cuttack, Raipur, Ahmedabad and add the number of grounds they already have.
It will mean logistically they can conduct more matches every day keeping security concerns in mind and also the willingness of the states involved.
The second option is a fall-back option in which the IPL board may split the championship into two parts. First half of will take place in April-May and second half of it after India's tour of the West Indies in July.
However, the second option will be a logistical nightmare in terms of availability of international players and cost of the tournament.
In the third option, the IPL can be truncated and a shorter version agreed upon where teams play seven matches on neutral venues instead of home and away basis.
However, it will mean sponsors will not get value for their money and will be forced to return part of it.
This option can cost IPL close to Rs 400 crore and franchises may have to shell out some of their personal sponsorship money.
The last option is of course to cancel the IPL but it will lead to a huge financial loss.
Meanwhile, in more trouble for the league, Bombay High Court on Monday restrained IPL from discussing the broadcasting rights with any other company. The court has also asked IPL to produce more documents.
Sony TV has taken the IPL to court for discussing telecast rights with other channels.