Ahmedabad and Lucknow cities are front-runners to have a new IPL franchise represent them in the cash-rich T20 league, sources close to the bidding process have said.
Indian multinational conglomerate Adani Group is tipped to bid for a franchise from Ahmedabad. At the same time, the Glazer Family, owners of Premier League giants Manchester United, have also picked up bidding papers, a top BCCI official in the know of developments said.
Ahmedabad And Lucknow Are Front Runners To Have A New IPL 2022 Team, To Be Unveiled On October 25
The BCCI had earlier shortlisted six cities — Ahmedabad, Lucknow, Cuttack, Guwahati, Ranchi, and Dharamshala — as bases for the two new teams. The bidding process for two new teams in the IPL is likely to take place on October 25, with the two highest bidders set to take the franchise rights. As a result, IPL 2022 will become a 10-team tournament. The BCCI had earlier extended the last date for interested parties to pick up the bidding papers to October 20.
“Pursuant to requests from various interested parties, BCCI has now decided to further extend the date for purchasing the ITT document till October 20, 2021,” a BCCI release had said.
The interested parties, who have picked up bidding papers are Sanjeev Kumar – RPSG, Glazer Family – Manchester United Owners, Adani Group, Naveen Jindal – Jindal Power & Steel, Torrent Pharma, Ronnie Screwvala, Aurobindo Pharma, Kotak Group, CVC Partners, Singapore Based PE Firm, Hindustan Times Media, Broadcast & Sports Consulting Agencies ITW, Group M. Alongside Ahmedabad and Lucknow, Cuttack, Guwahati, Ranchi, and Dharamsala were shortlisted as the bases of the two new teams.
IPL Has Previously Been A 10 Team Affair In 2011
The BCCI is expecting anything between Rs. 7000 crore to 10,000 crores from the team bidding of IPL, according to a report. The BCCI had allowed consortiums and companies with an annual turnover of Rs. 3000 crore to bid for teams while the base price for new IPL teams is pegged at Rs. 2000 crore, the report added. The bidding papers, in the form of the Invitation to Tender document, could be bought by any interested party for a cost of Rs. 10 lakh.
Expansion of the IPL is not a new experiment. Pune Warriors India and Kochi Tuskers Kerala had joined the league in 2010 before both franchises were terminated. Moreover, during Chennai Super Kings and Rajasthan Royals’ suspension from the league, Rising Pune Supergiant and Gujarat Lions joined the league as temporary participants and participated in IPL 2016 and 2017.
In 2011, there were 10 teams divided into 2 groups, with Pune Warriors India and Kochi Tuskers Kerala, and after the latter’s withdrawal, 9 teams played the IPL in 2012 and 2013.
BCCI has already announced that there will be a mega auction for the upcoming season which will give a fair opportunity to the new franchises to build their squads. However, according to a report, the existing eight franchises will be allowed to make four retentions before the mega auction.