IPL 2020 unlikely to happen this year; BCCI could lose Rs 2000cr, franchises Rs 100cr each
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IPL 2020 might even not happen this year considering the current scenario due to the novel coronavirus. If the cash-rich tournament doesn’t take place in 2020 then the BCCI will suffer a massive loss on an approximate revenue of INR 2000 crore.
The novel coronavirus has left the entire world in a stand-still. While the worldwide economy has taken a massive hit, the sporting calendar has been left shattered as well. Almost every sporting event has been cancelled or postponed with all eyes on the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2020, which was earlier suspended until April 15. However, with the situation surrounding the COVID-19 pandemic continuing to deteriorate with each passing day, the chances are extremely slim that the cash-rich tournament will go ahead after April 15.
As per a report, IPL 2020 might even not happen this year considering the current scenario due to the novel coronavirus. If the cash-rich tournament doesn’t take place in 2020 then the BCCI will take a massive hit on an approximate revenue of INR 2000 crore whereas the eight participating franchises could lose around IJNR 100 crore each.
"IPL this year might not happen"
“Given the present situation, I feel the IPL this year might not happen. That’s what it looks like,” a franchise official told a leading daily.
Whereas there’s a sense of unclarity and confusion in the BCCI as no one knows when the travel and visa restrictions will be normalized.
“Nobody has clarity about the future. We don’t know when travel restrictions/visa restrictions will go, when things will settle down. Till then, there’s no point (thinking about the IPL),” a top BCCI official said.
However, the biggest hurdle for IPL will be to bring the overseas players on the same ship. While the coronavirus outbreak has taken almost the entire world under its dreaded wings, some big-name players could opt out of the tournament if it goes ahead in 2020.
“And even if it settles down here but continues in some other country… we are not clear about that also. Japan, the host nation of the Olympics, is talking about a possible postponement. This (the outbreak) is far bigger than any sport or the IPL,” the BCCI official said.
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“At the moment, you can’t start thinking about anything. This (the Coronavirus problem) has to end and only then you can go back to the drawing board,” the BCCI official added.
The number of positive cases for COVID-19 has crossed the 450-mark in India with as many as 30 states/UTs have been placed under complete lockdown in a bid to curb the spread of the deadly virus.