Indian Cricket League (ICL)

Sitting in his plush office at Nariman Point Subhash Chandra, Chairman of Essel group is
worried about the future of ICL. His billion dollar enterprise ICL is getting tangled in
troubles.
After the much-anticipated tripartite talk failed to end the stalemate, the fate of Indian
Cricket
League's application for ICC approval will now hinge on the governing body's April
Board meeting in Dubai.
The three-hour meeting attended by ICC
President David Morgan, Chief Executive Haroon Lorgat, BCCI Secretary N Srinivasan,
Subhash Chandra and ICL's Business Head Himanshu Mody failed to reach an agreement
on Monday.

Subhash Chandra’s ICL continue to suffer and their application to be recognized by the
ICC as unofficial cricket has not yet been taken seriously and the prolong wait continues.

1.ICL-Introduction
Himanshu Mody said“ICL was born because they were denied of the cricket content and
so they had to create their own content.” Zee Telefilms, part of the Essel group promoted
by Subhash Chandra, had bid for the telecast rights to the 2003 Cricket World Cup. But it
was unsuccessful. Subash Chandra tried again for telecast rights for the cricket series in
2004 and 2006 but was unsuccessful. So he created the ICL to respond to it.

1.1 League Structure

The team structure was as follows-
Each team comprised of a formal international cricketer and had 4 international, 2 Indian
and 8 new entrants in the game. The BCCI was given the choice to take players from the
ICL’s talent pool.
The 9 teams were as follows:
1. Mumbai Champs
2. Chennai Superstars
3. Chandigarh Lions
4. Hyderabad Heroes
5. Royal Bengal Tigers (Kolkata)
6. Delhi Giants
7. Ahmedabad Rockets

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 8. Lahore Badshahs
9. Dhaka Warriors

Each team had a paid mentor, media manager, psychologist and physiotherapist
A prize money of US$ 1 million was fixed for the winning club team

1.2 The League starts

The league started on November 30 2007.it kicked off with 6 teams. The matches were
played at Panchkula near Chandigarh. Chennai Superstars were the winners. The league
concluded on 16 December 2007. The second edition comprised of a 50 over tournament
played at Mayajaal cricket ground near Chennai. The second edition started on 7 January
2008 and ended on 28 January 2008.the winners were Chennai Superstars again. The
third league was a more lavish affair with 8 teams in its kitty and was played at 2 venues,
Hyderabad and Gurgaon. The winners were Hyderabad Heroes. The 4th edition was a
domestic Twenty-20 tournament. The winners were Chandigarh Lions. In the 2 nd season,
Ahemdabad was another venue. The winners were Lahore Badshahs from Pakistan.

1.3 ICL- A brilliant idea

The advent of ICL was a beautiful move by the Essel group. After T20 World CUP of
2007, the popularity for the new format gained heights. India was the world champion. It
was the right time foe the league to be launched. But it wasn’t just to please the fans. It
was an event where money was spinned around many different angles and it almost
corporatized cricket. The business of ICL had a big economy of scale. ICL basically
added on to the aspect of marketing and branding of sports in India
The Indian Cricket League (ICL) was based upon the Twenty20 cricket game which
should be completed in 2 ½ hours. It is fast-paced and exciting. It is exciting to the
audience at the grounds or those in front of the TV. Due to the kind of popularity, it had
great opportunity for the advertisers and sponsors
The structure of the league was such that it was to function under franchises. Each of
these franchisees took over the responsibility of their teams. The most important work for
these franchisees was to create huge solid fan bases. More the fan base more the
revenues. Concepts of corporate hospitality, season tickets, away tickets were also
introduced.
The opportunity and market for merchandising was enormous. Sale of refreshments and
other services in the grounds was another way to earn revenues. Moreover the teenagers
were believed to be the main targets as they were the building blocks for the fan bases.
Again the teenagers may want to buy the merchandise to show support to their teams as a
status symbol.

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2. Strategic issues/challenges
2.1 Controversy Child
Right from the beginning the league was confronted with controversies. Since it carried
the tag of being unofficial it faced apprehensions and resistance from the different
national cricket boards. Their players were apprehensive in joining the league. As a result
many retired international players like Brian Lara, Craig McMillan signed up for the
league. One exception was Imran Farhat who left the Pakistan team to join ICL. But PCB
banned the players involved in ICL from playing domestic cricket. It caused some players
like Fahrat to move the court but the damage had been done
.The opposition from the nation cricket boards across the world was very severe. Even in
the 2nd season it did not lessen. Infact many of the ICL players couldn’t fulfill their
County Championship as their home counties cricket boards did not allow them the
required documents to play in England

2.2 Rebel league

The BCCI is a major hurdle to the success of ICL. It has put down a norm of ban for life
for those players who are in association with ICL. Apart from that, BCCI is also trying to
stop foreign players from playing in matches organized by ICL. It also is trying to curb
the ICL by controlling the availability of stadiums and other required facilities.

2.3 Low Prize money: The prize money offered by the Indian Premier League is also
incredibly high compared to Kapil Dev ’s Twenty20 Indian Cricket League and this has
caused some more cricketers from Kapil Dev’s Indian Cricket League to jump ship and
join BCCI’s Twenty20 cricket Indian Premier League

2.4 Members on ICL’s governing council: Players like Kapil Dev, Kiran More have
never shied from calling a spade a spade i.e. speaking against the policies of the BCCI.
Sandeep Patil was the enfant terrible of Indian cricket. Moreover, Zee started this as a
way of getting back at BCCI when they not able to get the broadcasting rights from the
latter. With no official support the league was in a way from the day it started.

2.5 Poaching of players by BCCI: The marketing whizzes of the BCCI have effectively
blunted the challenge posed by Kapil Dev’s Indian Cricket League by firstly poaching all
the top players of the Indian Cricket League such as Yousof Mohammed, Shane Warne
and Glenn McGrath.

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3. ICL Player’s plight today
Victimized by the BCCI for embracing a rebel league that couldn’t gain its auspices,
players left in the lurch in a league that may have hit a dead end or at best a path that
hankers for a modicum of respectability and a share of this lucrative market. With the
stupendous success of the IPL, the future looks bleak for the ICL. More so for the players
who, like orphans, dared to ask for an extra portion only to be met with a severe and stern
reprimand, and find themselves serving time on the sidelines with absolutely no prospect
of entertaining a comeback into the mainstream cricketing fold. This is a tragedy of
enormous proportions for the players who merely chose to explore an enterprising avenue
on the back of constant shunting around by the BCCI. While the majority of ICL’s
players may never have threatened to break into the senior’s side in their careers, some
like Ambati Rayudu are left to bear the brunt in a case of déjà vu. Rayudu’s case is an all
too familiar example that curtailed a very promising future. Once touted as India’s next
great batting hope, he was unashamedly sidelined by the ugly nexus between a father-son
collaboration that did great harm not just to him but to cricket as well. He has been done
twice over by the authorities.
While Hyderabad may be ruing the defection by Rayudu, Bengal was depleted as a side
by the mass exodus of most of its players to ICL. One such extremely promising player,
Abhishek Jhunjhunwala, may forever be lost to Indian cricket. The BCCI’s step motherly
treatment towards those who chose to improve their lives and secure their futures is a sad
reflection of their narrow-mindedness and paranoia. It must be remembered that it was
sheer desperation and discontent with respective State Associations that drove most of
these players to the ICL not discounting the hefty wage packets that were on offer. If it
weren’t for ICL’s offers of between Rs. 30 and 50 lakhs, would the BCCI have reacted by
hiking the match fees for the domestic players? Not likely

4. BCCI Power
In a space of less than 18 months, what began as the Indian Cricket League on a crest
wave of glorious intentions to target the BCCI for mismanaging cricket and failing to
unearth new talent amidst the backdrop of the unwieldy domestic structure that has been
blamed for killing, rather than nurturing, fresh talent, has dwindled into the rebels being
maligned, boxed into a corner and suppressed by the sheer absurdity of the BCCI’s stand
and the enormous success of a spectacle called the IPL. It’s just a side note that the real
reason for launching this league was because Subhash Chandra had an axe to grind.
Reeling from the blow of not being able to secure the television rights, he was
unwavering in his quest to mortify the BCCI and hit upon a breakaway cricket league as
the best way of achieving his goal. That he did and sent a few reverberations towards the
nondescript BCCI’s officialdom is something that he should take credit for in galvanizing
the BCCI into frantically reacting and blatantly repackaging the concept.

However, far from being a league that sought to address the malaises of lack of

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opportunities, the quagmire of favoritism, lack of recognition, nepotism, and political
wranglings, the ensuing ostracization has led to a tragic aftermath. In a sport that has no
definitive owner, the BCCI has monopolized cricket in India and isn’t shy to thwart any
attempts that might threaten its stranglehold over the sport in the country and beyond.

5. Current Status
As per report on Mar 31
The Indian Cricket League on Mar 30 sought to quash rumours about its future, saying
the Twenty20 league has not gone bankrupt and will continue as scheduled.ICL business
head Himanshu Mody said in a statement that there is no question of being bankrupt.
They are committed to holding the ICL.
Mody also revealed that the Board of Control for Cricket in India had offered the ICL a
deal, asking them to close the Twenty20 league and take up a franchise in the Indian
Premier League. He said that the BCCI had offered a peace deal to ICL promoter
Subhash Chandra asking him to take up a franchise in return for winding up the league,
but this was unacceptable to the Zee boss
If a resolution does not come through at the next ICC Executive Board meeting then ICL
will pursue legal options. Their stated position is that we will take ICC to court in the UK
citing precedents -- Tony Grieg vs Doug Insole (England) and Kapil Dev and other
players vs BCCI in Indian courts.
The ICL chief has made it clear that the ICL is releasing players temporarily so that they
can play for their countries.
With news circulating that the ICL is releasing Kiwi players Shane Bond and Darryl
Tuffey and Pakistani players Mohd Yousuf and Rana Naved ul Hasan, Abdur Razzak,
rumour mongering over the future of the league has peaked in the last few days.
Mody said in a statement that they have told some of these players that they can play for
their respective countries. ICL will give them temporary suspension letters for the same.
He also said that players are far more valuable to them if they continue to represent their
countries as well. In any case, one way or the other, the ICC has to take a stand on their
status.
Mody clarified that the last ICL tournament was cancelled due to the pull-out by
Pakistani players, which was a fall-out of the Mumbai terror attacks last year.
ICL is denying all the rumors it getting over. They did cancel one event due to 26/11 but
that doesn't mean the it is defunct. They are looking at two tournaments in October-
November, a league in 8-9 cities on the round-robin format followed by the World Series

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6.Court Judgment
The Delhi High Court has reinforced its earlier decision of barring the ICL from suing the
BCCI in British courts. However, the ICL has claimed that the courts have given them
the go-ahead to initiate action against the ICC and the ECB in London Courts.
Essel Sports, the promoters of the ICL, had, in November, served a legal notice, seeking
various reliefs including restraint orders and damages against the BCCI, the ECB and the
ICC for boycotting the ICL. The notice said that if the league did not receive a "full and
satisfactory substantive response" from the BCCI by December 7, it would file
proceedings in the London court. The Delhi High Court, on December 8, disallowed the
ICL from pursuing the case in London.
The BCCI, in response to the ICL's legal notice, had filed a plea for an anti-suit
injunction against the league before the Delhi High Court, which retained its earlier
decision.
This is what BCCI said in reply "In a suit filed by the BCCI before the Delhi High Court
for an anti-suit injunction against Essel Sports Pvt. Ltd. (Indian Cricket League), the
Delhi High Court today held that the attempt of Essel Sports (ICL) to file a suit in the
Courts of the UK against the BCCI, when a suit by Essel was already pending in the
Delhi High Court based on similar causes of action, was 'unconscionable”
However, the ICL can initiate action against the English board and the ICC in UK courts.
An Order has been passed in the Delhi High court in the matter BCCI vs Essel Sports Pvt.
Ltd. (Indian Cricket League) stating that ESPL is free to initiate action against ICC and
ECB in London Courts.
The Federation of International Cricketers' Associations (FICA) - a players' lobby group -
had questioned how the ICL could go ahead with the legal costs of suing the various
boards while it owed the players "millions of dollars". Most recently, the Pakistan players
who were involved in the ICL filed a legal notice against the league over payments due to
them since December 2008.

7. ICL expectations
ICL is presently awaiting the outcome of the International Cricket Council's Executive
Board meeting, scheduled for April 17-18 in Dubai where the resolution on granting
official status to the Twenty20 league will be discussed. If a resolution does not come
through at the next ICC Executive Board meeting then ICL will pursue legal options.
Their stated position is that we will take ICC to court in the UK citing precedents -- Tony
Grieg vs Doug Insole (England) and Kapil Dev and other players vs BCCI in Indian
courts.

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The ICL is keen on the ICC 'recognising' its players -- even if they don't register their
runs, wickets and catches in the T20 tournament -- in their official records. They are clear
in their stand that the 'rebel' tag should be removed from the league and the BCCI and
ICC should recognise the players' official status and restore pension and other benefits

8. The Road ahead-possible solution

Option1 – Conducting matches in US and Europe

ICL cricketers have been banned from all kinds of authorized cricket. So they are
playing only ICL league just for 3or 4 months. Rest of the year they are totally free. In
contrast with authorized cricketers, who are busy with international test series, one day
series and their home cricket. So if ICL can use their cricketers properly they can do a
revolution in cricket.

India is the main market of all kinds of cricket. And Indians are spread around the world.
ICL can arrange twenty20 cricket tournament in America or Europe, where cricket not
played regularly. Twenty20 form of cricket is very much attractive than traditional test
and ODI cricket. It is a short time entertainment which desires the American and
Europeans. And they would introduce with the non resident Indians. So I think it’s a very
potential field of twenty20 cricket and thus cricket would be spread among the world.
There is no risk of success, because TV rights money would cover the total cost if there
spectators refused to see cricket in field. ICL has potential to arrange four tournaments in
four different venue of the world. The venues can be USA, Canada, Germany, Spain and
in Asia United Arab emirates.
These places have a very good chance to be potential markets of future cricket. But
authorized cricket organizers couldn’t arrange amusing cricket here due to busy schedule
of all test playing countries. So ICL has a very good chance to spread cricket in this
region because their cricketers have enough time to play.
If this process succeeds, cricket would not be under control of ICC and BCCI. An
alternative cricket platform will be build. Would it good for ICC & BCCI? But I think
cricket would not under in any threat because cricket is not the copyrighted property of
BCCI.
Would ICL authorities and BCCI think over it?

Option2 - Getting BCCI/ICC to recognize ICL as a second division league.

If BCCI recognizes ICL as a second division league then the players as well as the cricket
buffs will be benefited. The format will be beneficial to all the players(just retired and
domestic players) Recognizing ICL as second division means that the top two teams from

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ICL will replace the bottom two in the IPL in the next years’ IPL. This may be looked
upon as an unfavorable decision by the exist IPL franchisees.
The game could also be monetized by the BCCI. It could garner broadcast fees for both
IPL and ICL. As such zee is one of the leading names in the media arena. BCCI could
cash in on the revenues earned by ZEE while broadcasting ICL. This will be major long
term move for BCCI.
Revenue streams for both players as well as the BCCI will increase. Lalit Modi will also
benefit from it. Once the approval by BCCI is done then all the 9 ICL teams will get
sponsors. This will make ICL a lucrative option to invest

Option3 - The IPL and BCCI can increase their revenue by the following way:
They can have 9 ready made teams, some with international flavor like the Lahore
Badshahs & Dhaka Warriors to earn franchisee fees.
Charge Zee & ICL as broadcaster and league operators a license amount in return of
recognition.
More player transfer fees as larger talent pool will result in more selling and buying
where a transaction fee can be charged by the IPL board. (Rumors have it that ICL talents
like R Sathish, Vignesh, Rayudu & Abhishek Jhunjhunwala are being offered over 1.5
crore deals from IPL franchisees- a percentage of same can be taken by IPL/BCCI if ICL
is recognized and player transfer take place like they do in the European soccer circuit)
Finally the above makes sense for a simple reason. The talent pool in the world and
especially India is so big that the IPL today faces an embarrassment of riches. Players of
the likes of Collingwood, McGrath, Nitini, Vettori are warming benches. It shows that as
a global tournament IPL is too small to accommodate the talent pool. Secondly if the IPL
adds two more teams in its franchisee list it means at least another 14 matches to the
present calendar which may not be possible. It already has a problem with
accommodating its present month and half tournament so how will it accommodate more
teams and more matches.

9.Our View
The existence of the ICL must not be perceived as a threat by the BCCI. Cricket can
accommodate the existence of both the ICL and the IPL. Paranoia usually results in knee
jerk reactions and it hasn’t been any different with the BCCI. Furthermore, ICL neither
has the players nor the backing to stake a challenge for the IPL. Allowing it to co-exist
would rightfully provide an opportunity not just to strive towards a common agenda of
granting opportunities to promising cricketers but will not dent the future success of the
IPL. The ECB has backtracked in the face of trade laws and has allowed 25 ICL
cricketers to turn out for 18 Counties under its jurisdiction. Such flexibility isn't a sign of
weakness but rather an exercise in finding common ground. The ICC will continue to
avoid dealing with the issue of the ICL and will hide behind the theory that until the
BCCI approves the ICL, it can't do much about it. For those who've watched its mode of
functioning over the years, the ICC prides itself on inaction and ineptitude. Let not the
BCCI adopt the ICC's approach, as it is capable of bigger and grander things.

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Like a small player in a land of one monopolistic leader, the ICL can and should be
allowed to run its course. Not just for cricket’s sake but for the players’ sake too who
have been needlessly caught up in this imbroglio. Cricket ought to be winner at the end
and not the egos of a select few.
1. The BCCI has proved its point, loud and clear. Not only is it one of the most
dominant sports organizations but now, thanks to the success of IPL, the world
has also witnessed its execution prowess so much so that an otherwise level-
headed Gilchrist got carried away and termed it a better spectacle than the Sydney
Olympics. The ICL may have the word "league" in its name but it is certainly not
in the BCCI's league. Does it then make any sense for the BCCI to continue to rub
it in?
2. What would be more humiliating to the ICL than Rayudu accepting a MOM
award at an IPL match and thanking the BCCI for salvaging his career?
3. Lastly, and importantly, the likes of Rayudu & Abhishek may not turn out to be
International megastars. Then again, they may! Thanks to the IPL, there is an
improved focus on discovering raw domestic talent, and these two players may
play the county cricket tomorrow and show the world that they had it in them.
Does the BCCI really want to take the risk of that embarrassment?

Instead of getting distracted by the ICL every now and then, the BCCI's sights should be
set on conquering the world; the world, which may soon see T20 leagues mushroomed
everywhere.

References

1. http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/news-by-industry/et-cetera/Indian-
Premier-League-may-crumble-under-its-weight/articleshow/5713773.cms

2. http://www.cricinfo.com/india/content/story/446889.html

3. http://www.cricinfo.com/icl2008/content/story/373465.html

4. http://www.indianpremierleaguevsindiancricketleague.com/

5. http://www.articlesbase.com/cricket-articles/what-will-be-the-future-of-icl-
885941.html --- future of ICL

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Books and Articles
1. Competitive Strategy article
2. Exploring Strategy by Gary Johnson

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