Braden Stokes20Twenty: only in India?
May 7th 2008 02:46
Most of the people who support the IPL and regard it as a success will, at some point or other, refer to crowds the games seem to draw to support their argument. As I've said in earlier posts, I am not going to deny that the IPL has been popular because, quite simply, it has been. (Whether that is an indicator of its value is another issue). However, one wonders whether this has a great deal to do with it being the INDIAN Premier League and not some other 20Twenty competition. Hypothetically, had the first major 20Twenty club competition been held in Australia or England or South Africa, would it have been such a great success? As I live in Australia, I shall use it as an example from here on.
One can perhaps point to the massive crowds drawn to the few international 20Twenty games that have been held, but this seems to be more a consequence of these being one-off exhibition games rather than an extended tournament: the novelty factor is still strong. Furthermore, the format of 20Twenty is more conducive to drawing a bigger audience as it can be conducted over a relatively short period, after people have finished work. However, would you see the same crowds for a series of matches played daily over a month or more? I think not.
I feel that the major reason the IPL has been a success is because it is the IPL and not the APL or EPL. It is no secret that there are many, many Indians and that many of them are fanatical about cricket. To my knowledge, there has not been an occasion where hundreds of people have turned up to see an Australian or English player get his hair cut! Cricket is the major sport in India, and therefore attracts a huge audience. This simply is not so in other countries. In Australia, there are several sports competing for the attention of the general public. In winter there is aussie rules and rugby, and in summer (in direct competition with cricket) are A-league soccer and the Australia Open tennis. This competition (coupled with Australia's relatively small population) seems to account for most of the half-empty stadiums you see at Test and One-day matches played in Australia.
One may wonder why I brought this up, as the Indian Premier League can simply remain in India, and not ever have to deal with these issues. However, firstly, I point this out as a caveat to any claims that 20Twenty is so extremely popular on its own merits. Secondly, the more success 20Twenty achieves, the more likely it is that more 20Twenty games will be worked into regular domestic and international tournaments (probably at the expense of 50 over cricket), and the more likely it is that fans in other countries will demand to see regular 20Twenty cricket. While this may have worked so far in India (if the purpose of 20Twenty is to draw a larger audience), it is by no means a certainty that it will work elsewhere. In years to come, will we bemoan the dwindling attendances at 20Twenty matches?
One can perhaps point to the massive crowds drawn to the few international 20Twenty games that have been held, but this seems to be more a consequence of these being one-off exhibition games rather than an extended tournament: the novelty factor is still strong. Furthermore, the format of 20Twenty is more conducive to drawing a bigger audience as it can be conducted over a relatively short period, after people have finished work. However, would you see the same crowds for a series of matches played daily over a month or more? I think not.
I feel that the major reason the IPL has been a success is because it is the IPL and not the APL or EPL. It is no secret that there are many, many Indians and that many of them are fanatical about cricket. To my knowledge, there has not been an occasion where hundreds of people have turned up to see an Australian or English player get his hair cut! Cricket is the major sport in India, and therefore attracts a huge audience. This simply is not so in other countries. In Australia, there are several sports competing for the attention of the general public. In winter there is aussie rules and rugby, and in summer (in direct competition with cricket) are A-league soccer and the Australia Open tennis. This competition (coupled with Australia's relatively small population) seems to account for most of the half-empty stadiums you see at Test and One-day matches played in Australia.
One may wonder why I brought this up, as the Indian Premier League can simply remain in India, and not ever have to deal with these issues. However, firstly, I point this out as a caveat to any claims that 20Twenty is so extremely popular on its own merits. Secondly, the more success 20Twenty achieves, the more likely it is that more 20Twenty games will be worked into regular domestic and international tournaments (probably at the expense of 50 over cricket), and the more likely it is that fans in other countries will demand to see regular 20Twenty cricket. While this may have worked so far in India (if the purpose of 20Twenty is to draw a larger audience), it is by no means a certainty that it will work elsewhere. In years to come, will we bemoan the dwindling attendances at 20Twenty matches?
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