IPL 4 flop show - Is Lalit Modi's ouster the reason.
By amitgune
@amitgune (877)
India
May 19, 2011 3:54am CST
I read in the news that IPL 4 has been a flop. Viewership has dropped 25%. Franchises have not broken even, even as we are approaching the final stages of the tournament. This is partly due to the cost of players going up by 40% - 75%. But even then this is no reason for the IPL to lose its viewership. Maybe Lalit Modi was an expert tactician who could somehow manage to pull the crowds. Or has too much cricket in India (World Cup followed by IPL) spoilt the show?
4 responses
@grvdubey11 (1879)
• India
20 May 11
Actually Modi being not there is not the reason of IPL being a flop show,the reason behind this is with change in Indian cricket there has been immense change in attitude of Indian fans too.You may see that Indian team plays much more test matches now like Aus and England which is an indication that fans have immense interest in REAL cricket and not in GLAMOROUS cricket.Overdose of cricket is also not the factor at all, if instead of IPL there was a test series against Eng/Aus/SA/SL/PAK the fans would have taken keen interest in that but nobody wants to waste time in watching IPL.After 50 years everyone will remember how India won the world cup in 2011,no would will care who won the IPL .If BCCI want to save this money making show ,they should seriously think about reducing the number of matches to half of what they are now, otherwise soon the time will come when people will not come to watch IPL even if tickets are distributed for free.
@grvdubey11 (1879)
• India
20 May 11
Actually the thing is that the people you mentioned who are watching IPL just for entertainment and those who cant spare time for watching test matches wont even care if IPL stops totally.These people just want some entertaining show to relax themselves, some other show may do the job for them.But for the hard core cricket fans who are following cricket for years they will always prefer watching tests instead of T20s.So the hard core cricket fans does not bother much about IPL and the other people for whom cricket is not a passion but IPL is like an entertaining show will eventually lose interest in IPL as its too long and boring, so if BCCI does not make it short like champions league t20 its likely to shut down.
@amitgune (877)
• India
20 May 11
I agree with you partially. Yes the number of matches should certainly be reduced and the glamour surrounding the IPL could be reduced as well. As regards to the popularity of the IPL, it will reduce no doubt but the IPL will never become extinct, because of the nature of T20 cricket. T20 cricket is fast. It takes hardly a few hours to watch a cricket match and anyone can watch any match after coming home from a hard day's work for a few hours. So it does not interfere with one's work. Also, it is very difficult to spare 5 days for a test match. So IPL is here to stay, albiet the popularity may reduce. As regards to Modi, no one can dispute the fact that he had the vidion and the guts to make this event a mega success. Irrespective of the reasons for the flop show of IPL4, it will always be argued as to whether Modi's presence would have made a difference. We will possibly never know.
@ravisivan (14082)
• India
19 May 11
Viewership has dropped -- it is all what mediamen write. I find interest for IPL has grown considerably. Of course too much cricket is there. Like we have more TV channels in Mumbai-people watch whatever they want. So there are no issues. have a good day
@ravisivan (14082)
• India
20 May 11
If all the players receive relatively low amount then the performance of players will continue to be uniform and it may not come down on account of that. IPL will not lose charm. Latest news-Mumbai lost to Rajasthan !!
@lou_is (665)
• India
19 May 11
I think its all because of too much cricket this season. After finishing the World cup India hosted this IPL 4 that is also not more than 10 days difference. I don't know how that BCCI thinks about. And moreover Lalit Modi made attraction in the previous three seasons but i don't know how. But even i also got bored of this cricket.
@moksha09 (467)
• India
19 May 11
1. Too much cricket has made it boring.
2. The players are tired or injured.
3. Not many are interested in seeing retired players like Ganguly, Warne and Gilly.
4. This is club cricket and people want to see the best players and not retired and untested ,new players.
5. The tkt cost is high.
6. The paranoid security restrictions are robbing the game of fun and thrill.
7. The players are jaded and stale.
8. The tournament is too long and the quality of cricket is not too good.
9. Players from Pakistan and England are not playing.
10. Yes the absence of Lalit Modi is an important factor as he knew how to milch this money cow.
@amitgune (877)
• India
19 May 11
Absolutely correct. Several factors have affected this IPL as you rightly said. I would like to add just a small thing out here. I also feel that this format with so many teams is too long and it feels as though, before reaching the playoffs it is taking forever. The tournament just does not seem to end.
