The 15th edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL) kicked off on Saturday, March 26, in the presence of a live audience, and began with ceremonial felicitation of the Tokyo Olympics medallists. We were treated to a wonderful game of cricket in which Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) trounced the Chennai Super Kings (CSK) comprehensively. Passionate followers of the game would have preferred a close finish, but took comfort from the fact that this was only the first game out of 74 to look forward to some exciting, enticing and entertaining cricket over the next 64 days. From now on, it’s a cricketing extravaganza of this ‘bite-sized’ version of the game with its accompaniment of showbiz, music, cheer girls, parties and the quintessential tamasha that the IPL has come to symbolise. Purists of the game be damned, but this version of cricket has its devotees cutting across age groups, genders, and of course social strata. Prime time India comes to a standstill, with no new television shows launched, and no movies released during IPL. However, the 2022 edition of IPL is special in more ways than one.
The Last Few Seasons
The 13th season of IPL in 2020 was jinxed. The tournament was postponed due to the onset of the pandemic. It was played eventually in the United Arab Emirates from September 19 to November 10, 2020. Border skirmishes between India and China and the resultant anti-China sentiment caused Vivo to pull out as the title sponsor and Dream 11 came on board at the last minute. So, IPL 2020 was seen as something that was soothing to the customer and provided an outlet to the stressed nerves of the people agonising over COVID-induced lockdowns and related economic distress.
IPL 2021, which coincided with the second wave, ran into rough weather, and was criticised for the incongruity and gross lack of empathy for the context in which it was being held. Such was the situation that it got branded a ‘greedy and grotesque’ extravaganza and had to be suspended mid-way. Players got infected even within the bio-bubble and some of them withdrew from the tournament mid-way due to the mental distress caused by the bio-bubble itself. IPL 2021 eventually resumed in the UAE after a ‘COVID break’ in September, with the finals on October 15, 2021. The excitement and thrill were definitely lacking.
Optimism in the air
IPL this year started exactly two years to the day that Prime Minister Narendra Modi had declared the first COVID-related lockdown. Things have been topsy-turvy ever since. The celebratory mood of the IPL coincides with the lifting of COVID-related restrictions with hopefully the end of the pandemic in sight. After a melancholic 24 months, everyone is looking forward to some form of mental release. What better way to do it than indulge in a sporting tournament involving a game which is religion in our country!
I watched the inaugural match at Goa, to find tourists from all over India (international tourists are yet to arrive) descending upon this tiny paradise. Airports were crowded, flights were full, Blackjack tables, Russian roulettes and slot machines at casinos were buzzing with activity. The beaches were swarming with motley crowds, while popular hotspots such as Britto’s, Martin’s Corner and Thalassa, etc., were teeming with patrons. This is no different from Mumbai, where I live, and other cities that I hear of. The IPL will provide yet another reason for everyone to collectively cheer and hug each other – a far cry from the not-so-distant days of social distancing – and in some ways herald our country’s return to normalcy.
Brands raring to go
The ‘optimism’ in the air is giving rise to consumerism, the kind of which was not seen in the last two years. Brands themselves have been at the receiving end of economic distress caused by the pandemic. But the newfound buoyancy is spurring brand managers to go all out. New brands across categories are reaching out for their war chests to meaningly engage with their customers through fresh campaigns. The IPL provides just the right avenue to spend those marketing dollars. It is popularly said about IPL that ‘If you are not there…you do not exist.’ If IPL via television reaches about 400-450 million viewers and via streaming platforms reaches an audience of more than 300 million, it’s quite right to say so. Key brands can ill afford to be left out from the IPL party. The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has every now and then been criticised for making the IPL format too long-drawn and, should I add, boring! But that’s the opinion of a minority, as viewership has increased with every season and so have advertising rates. Spot rates have gone up to more than Rs 15 lakh per 10 seconds with premium spots towards the latter part of the tournament expected to fetch even upwards of Rs 25 lakh. BCCI continues to rake in the moolah and this time, it is estimated that it will make over Rs 800 crore from sponsorship deals - the highest ever in the history of the league. The brand value of the IPL brand, which had taken a minor dip over the last two years (from the high of Rs 47,000 crore in 2019) is likely to be at an all-time high after this year’s edition. Revenue from ticket and merchandise sales, 10 franchisees, a new format and 74 matches will contribute to this higher brand value. Crowds in the stadium (albeit limited numbers) after two seasons provides for ground activations and lends greater energy to the tournament – all of which is music to the brand manager’s ears.
Team sports are a great way to galvanise the populace through the sheer energy generated by it. The 1995 Rugby World Cup, won by South Africa, immediately comes to mind. It signified the end of the dark era of apartheid and heralded the onset of hope, unity and peace in Nelson Mandela’s South Africa. That tournament changed South Africa forever. Likewise, may this edition of IPL be the trigger for the right mood, confidence and optimism in our country in the post-COVID era. Indians are ready... Can IPL be the booster dose?
(The author is a senior professional in the corporate sector and writes on varied topics that catch his fancy. The views expressed here are his own. He tweets at @sandeepbangia)
