Sports is no longer our game, it’s our business
WEDNESday, february 12, 2014
TOP SCORES
IPL gears up for its biggest auction "I
n the wake of the Mudgal committee report, do you think the auction should go on?" That was the first question posed to Venky Mysore, the Kolkata Knight Riders chief executive, who was addressing a media conference to announce a tie-up with global giant SAP on Tuesday in Bangalore. Mysore excused himself from responding, But later during the briefing he said: "franchise sport is here and going to stay." Mysore might have spoken on behalf of the rest of the seven franchises: despite a damning report on corruption in the IPL by the Justice Mudgal committee, there was nothing today at the auction venue to suggest the BCCI was bothered. The flags of all eight teams fluttered on a muggy Tuesday
Team officials are likely to be more prudent with their money than they have been in previous auctions as franchise owners, heads and officials, former India captains and international coaches slipped in with big smiles to re-acquaint themselves with their friends in the IPL fraternity. The celebrity factor came when Preity Zinta (one of the owners at Kings XI Punjab) crossed paths with fellow Bollywood star Juhi Chawla, wife of Jay Mehta, the coowner of Knight Riders. There was whispered speculation over whether an injured Shah Rukh Khan would make it for the auction. International media, specifically from the UK, were curious as to what kind of interest franchises had in Kevin Pietersen. In that respect the buildup to what has become one of the most watched events on TV was no different to previous years. But as far as the
auction goes there are quite e few differences compared to the last big auction, which happened in 2011. Then there were 10 teams, compared to eight now. Then the squads were bigger than the maximum size, enforced this season, of 27. The biggest change this time is the inclusion of uncapped Indian players in the auction - a move supported by most of the franchises.
Impact
Another change that will impact the way teams plan their auction strategy is the depletion in the pool for quality capped Indian players in the wake of retentions by teams. "In 2011 the total number of players retained was 12. This time it is 24," the franchise head of an IPLwinning franchise said. "More players have been retained
and most of them happened to be top-class (Indian) players. The net effect of all this, just by virtue of supply and demand, means there is always a challenge for Indian capped players. The ones who have been retained are the better Indian players. That group has always remained small." After managing a team for six years, franchise officials say they have learned it isn't always necessary to chase a big name. "Franchises have also become a lot more mature," the franchise head said. "You can always form a team with a talent supporting cast. Teams like Rajasthan, Punjab and Hyderabad have shown you can be competitive without really having a huge name in the team." Does that mean marquee names like Virender Sehwag, Yuvraj Singh, Michael Hussey
and Jacques Kallis might not attract a huge attention? The talking point about these stars is they are no longer young and no longer carry the matchwinner tag, which they once wore proudly on their sleeves.
Demand
A coach disagreed. "They will have a lot of demand," he said. "When you are thinking of these players a lot of people are saying they are not playing any more international cricket and they are not in form. But when you are picking somebody for Twenty20 the guy does not need to score a hundred for you. The expectations are completely different. "You are looking for somebody who can give an explosive start, you are looking for somebody who can build
an innings in the middle or somebody who can finish the game. From a cricketing point of view, when a known name is walking into the middle the pressure comes automatically." Barring Delhi Daredevils, all the franchises have retained between one and five players. This means franchises will enter the auction with differently sized purses. Mumbai Indians, Chennai Super Kings and Rajasthan Royals are the three teams who have retained the maximum of five players. These three teams will only have Rs 21 crore at their disposal. Royals have always worked on a small budget and have tried to derive maximum benefit. That strategy has worked for them and they are bound to continue utilising it. (Cricinfo)
DDL Pepsi renews sponsorship with RHTY&SC
D
emerara Distillers Limited (DDL), under the internationally renowned Soft Drink Pepsi, has renewed its sponsorship of the Rose Hall Town Youth & Sports Club (RHTY&SC) under-19 and intermediate teams for another year. The partnership, which is now in its 11th year, started in 2004 when Pepsi replaced the Guyana Telephone and Telegraph (GT&T) Company, which opted to sponsor the club’s Anti Drug and Pro Education campaigns. The Pepsi sponsorship package is worth $220,000, with the team set to also receive 30 Pepsi t-shirts. Funds would be used to cover the cost of transportation, umpiring fees, balls, cricket gear and meals. Club Secretary/Chief Executive Officer (CEO)
Hilbert Foster, speaking at the presentation ceremony, which took place on Friday at the company’s head office, hailed the productive and successful relationship between DDL and the entity.
Positive results
Calling the relationship a producer of positive results, Foster thanked DDL for their continued support and belief in Guyana’s “leading” youth and sports club. Foster indicated that the sponsorship has helped the club to mould the careers of players’ like Assad Fudadin, Abdel Fudadin, Dominic Rikhi, Askay Homraj, Shemaine Campbell, Plaffina Millington, Clinton Pestano, Khemraj Mahadeo, Delbert Hicks, Shawn Pereira, Shailendra
Shameer, Brandon Prasad, Erica Hashley and Shabika Gajnabi among others. DDL Pepsi Brand Manager Larry Wills, in handing over the sponsorship cheque, re-stated his company’s pleasure in being associated with the RHTY&SC. “This club’s record of achievement speaks for itself, and I would like to congratulate the Rose Hall Town Pepsi team for successfully representing the Pepsi brand on and off the field.” The Rose Hall Town Pepsi under-19 team in 2014 is being led by Nicholas Cameron, with Homraj as his deputy, while West Indies female all rounder Campbell will be in charge of the intermediate team. Her deputy is Devin Baldeo.
DDL Pepsi Brand Manager Larry Wills hands over one of the Pepsi t-shirts to Club Secretary/CEO Hilbert Foster
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