'Nothing On The Table' Regarding Expansion To Saudi Arabia, Says IPL Chairman Arun Dhumal
Plenty has been reported in international media about the oil-rich Saudi Arabia foraying into cricket over the last two years but nothing concrete has come out of those speculations.
Nearing two decades of existence, brand IPL has become stronger than ever and doesn’t see any threat from the growing number of T20 leagues globally, its chairman Arun Dhumal said on Saturday as he steered clear of the speculation swirling around an event backed by Saudi Arabia.
Speaking to PTI as the league enters its 18th edition, Dhumal said the BCCI supports the rise in number of T20 leagues globally, especially in unchartered territories like Saudi Arabia, Europe and the USA. He feels the growth will eventually help the game ahead of the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics where cricket will be played.
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“There is no point discussing something on the basis of speculation. There is nothing on the table for discussion with everyone (all stakeholders). And as far as my knowledge goes, there is no infrastructure as of now in Saudi Arabia that can cater to a tournament of this scale.
“So, there is no point discussing speculative stories," said the IPL chairman.
Plenty has been reported in international media about the oil-rich Saudi Arabia foraying into cricket over the last two years but nothing concrete has come out of those speculations.
Having said that, Saudi Arabia has been a sponsor in the IPL and hosted the mega auction last year.
Now there is fresh chatter about a tennis Grand Slam-styled league funded by the Arab giant but concrete details are yet to emerge.
No threat from other leagues
The IPL is estimated to be at valued at over USD 12 billion and in terms of per match, it is the second most valued sporting league in the world, only behind behind the NFL in the United States.
In that context, no other cricket league poses a threat to the IPL. In fact, IPL owners have been expanding their footprint with investments in leagues organised by foreign boards including CPL, SA20, MLC, ILT20 and most recently The Hundred in the UK.
“The idea of getting cricket into the Olympics is that the game grows through the length and breadth of the globe. It is good that more leagues are taking shape and we don’t see anybody as a threat," said Dhumal.
“We would want to make sure that more and more games happen across the different territories, the newer territories. Whether it is Saudi, America, Europe, it doesn’t matter. Nobody can stop anybody and we would not want to stop anyone.
“We would only focus on strengthening our tournament and our property."
(This story has not been edited by News18 staff and is published from a syndicated news agency feed - PTI)- Location :
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