5 Reasons why IPL is better than other T20 leagues

Cricket, until in its everlasting history, had never exhibited the term called a franchise-based league till the inception of the IPL in 2008. Yes prior to the IPL’s arrival there were few tournaments and T20 competitions being played but the concept of corporations and individuals owing a cricket team was completely alien in the game’s entire existence.

While owning a team in other sports like football was very common at that time, watching a cricket player, whether international or uncapped, getting auctioned and fetching a price in millions was a dazzling phenomenon that the game had never experienced.

Over the years, with its unique set of arrangements and exhibitions, the IPL is now one of the top-notch sporting events happening in the realm of sports, and in cricket, it is the second most cherished event only behind the ICC Cricket World Cup.

Although, the IPL was the first T20 tournament that exhibited the above-mentioned concepts of player auctions and franchise-based ownerships, in today’s age there’s now a profusion of T20 leagues working on such ideas and conceptions.

Now despite these leagues functioning on the ideas which the IPL had introduced, India’s cricketing carnival is way better and much unique than others.

Hence, to find out why IPL outplays other T20 Leagues here are five prime reasons: 

1. Better playing window

One of the underlying uniqueness of the IPL for over the years has been the time of the year in which it’s been played. Other major T20 Leagues like the BBL, PSL, and CPL do mainly clash with other prime international cricket fixtures and that’s the reason why it misses the participation of the elites. In CPL’s case, it’s mainly played when the English cricket summer sites itself towards its second half, and the subcontinent teams mainly India either prepares for its home season or are seen mainly touring.

Other quality leagues like the BBL and the PSL happen at a time when cricket is played at its peak in the southern hemisphere. International teams like Australia, South Africa, and New Zealand do plan their home international fixtures at that time period, hence eliminating their frontline players to fully participate in such leagues. Even the presence of Asian players is highly elusive because of the winters at that phase wherein some overseas teams or others are seen touring the sub-continent.

Whereas in the IPL’s case the timings of late March, April, and May is a fitting one because it not only ends India’s domestic season but also earmarks the end of cricket seasons in the southern hemisphere. Even the beginning of English cricket summer happens from late May. Therefore, because of its unique playing time period, the IPL then enjoys an exclusive vast viewership from all around the world.

2. Better availability of elite players

One of the direct benefits of conducting IPL in a better window does mean maximum availability of elites and frontline players from all corners of the globe. From its initial years, the tournament was seen becoming utterly cosmopolitan as even the players and top-class cricketers from England and Australia were seen playing the league.

Watching these stellar proponents from across countries getting mingled with the Indian talent is the most supreme reason why the IPL is called the T20 cricket’s biggest extravaganza. Because of this magnificent arrangement, the quality of cricket in the IPL has now drastically reduced the gap when it comes to a player transitioning and playing in international cricket.

Most of the upcoming debutants especially now in the Indian team have been flourishing IPL players resulting in their transitioning in international cricket as breezy as possible. Also with IPL being the only T20 League where the current batch of India international cricketers play, it makes the league much more elusive and sumptuous.

Overall, with often been called the battle of elites, it’s because of the IPL wherein the T20 cricket in its short existence has reached towering heights both in terms of its popularity and its term of its evolution.

3. Better standard of play

Another direct benefit of enjoying the exclusivity of elites and top-class players means that the standard of play will only be a tad inferior if compared with the international level. Because each IPL franchise has some handy Indian players who have been former players or are currently playing along with a sturdy bunch of overseas specialists, the entire harmonization process has resulted in IPL becoming the prime centre where a cricketer can complete its white-ball education.

Unlike the other T20 Leagues like in Australia and England where there are only two overseas specialists allowed in the playing XI, the idea of having four of them in the IPL does mean that there’s a massive surge in terms of the level of batsmanship along with the quality of bowling which apparently creates an astonishing affair for the fans to watch. To exemplify further, it’s only in the IPL where you’ll see the two greatest batsmen of this era Virat Kohli and AB De Villiers playing together and dismantling bowling attacks.

Nowadays to prepare for the upcoming ICC events, even the stubborn cricket boards like England, who once completely had disrelished the idea of sending their players for the IPL, have now given a leeway to their players to complete their entire IPL white-ball course.

Playing in a constant atmosphere where there’s an attendance of regular 30K visitors. who either are supporting you or are against your team, is something very similar in terms of pressure being endured during the knockout days of the other big events. Hence because of upholding such an expansive exhibition almost every cricketer now who plays international cricket desires to play in the T20’s biggest fiesta.

4. A realm of money entangled

There’s absolutely no doubt that the fortunes of the BCCI have been massively refurbished all because of the opulence which the tournament possesses. It is estimated that there are around 25 players in the IPL who earn more than a million USD per year which in the context of other T20 leagues is insanely high.

Even the sponsorship money which the IPL receives from VIVO now is alarming, as in its five-year deal, the brand has paid a whopping amount of INR 2199 crores which are exponentially higher than PSL’s 14.3 million USD for its three-year deal. In terms of the money fetched by the BCCI by issuing the telecast rights, the board earned a total of 16,347 crores from a five-year deal.

Apart from all this, there’s also a realm of money that gets infused for players’ welfare especially by keeping various cash prizes and awards in the form of players with the most runs (orange cap), players with the most wickets (purple cap), emerging player awards, etc.

Even the IPL owners have now started with full-time cricket academies which function throughout the year and are a valuable aid especially for former players in terms of their rehabs. In addition to that regardless of the team’s performances in each season, there’s a significant amount of money being distributed to the various franchises.

All in all, in today’s day and age the IPL now enjoys a valuation of over 6 billion USD thus flaunting a significant amount of grandeur which the game has never seen.

5. Most viewed T20 League in the world

Because of all the above reasons, the IPL is miles ahead in terms of its viewership when compared with other T20 Leagues. Let alone in the year 2020, as per the reports by the BARC which is a viewership monitoring agency, about 58 of the last season’s 60 matches saw a 24% of upsurge in terms of viewership when compared with IPL 2019.

The first match of the tournament which involved the two giants MI and CSK itself enjoyed a viewership of 200 million. A massive boom in the viewership figures also helps the broadcasting firms to generate a realm of advertising revenues which eventually helped the Disney-owned Star to increase its overall advertising revenue income by 10% last year.

All in all, with a concept of 8 or 10 franchise teams, players from all around the world can play in tandem with each other. Moreover, their ownership and management will be in the hands of the country’s top corporates and individuals. The same, perhaps, has completely changed the way cricket used to be played back in the last two centuries.