An open letter to Mr Lalit Modi
Dear Mr Modi
This is the second time I am writing to you. The first time, I wanted to know what happened to all the money made from the IPL. You haven’t answered that one as yet. I guess you are too busy, what with the multiple positions that you hold. Well, we will come back to the IPL money and your numerous designations later. I have more important questions to ask first.
Freud would have loved to analyze his brain
Have you had a long history of suffering from temporary memory losses or from multiple personality disorder?
Or has the affliction been a recent one – starting from the time you saw your dream of starting the IPL?
Because nothing else can explain the recent remarks made by you regarding the ICL not satisfying the norms of authorized cricket
First you wear one hat of the IPL commissioner – someone who shamelessly copied the concept of the ICL and then called it his own. Someone who has seen the ICL make major inroads this year and feels threatened by its growing popularity.
And then you sit on the five-member ICC panel which decides what constitutes ‘official cricket’ and what does not. Is there a more clear case of conflict of interest? The only way you could be doing justice to both roles, is if you were suffering from one of the above mentioned ailments. You could then seamlessly shift into the ICC role without any influence or knowledge of your IPL role.
Then you have made the rather ignorant statement saying that there is no window in the international calendar to accommodate the ICL. Tell me seriously; which League has caused more problems to the International calendar, the ICL or the IPL. If there is any doubt then I suggest you check with the Srilankan and English cricket boards. Moreover, the ICL is largely made of aspiring or semi-retired cricketers who don’t have much to do with the international calendar anyways.
You have given two arguments as to why the ICL does not satisfy the norms of official or authorized cricket. Both these norms are news for me and surely a creation of your imagination. And that you have a really confused imagination owing to your multiple personalities makes matters worse
First you have said that the ICL is not built on a pyramid structure, whereas the BCCI-created IPL is built on one. What you forgot to add was that the BCCI pyramid has faults at every level – faults which are a result of a nepotistic architecture which forces a lot of deserving cricketers off the pyramid. Also that this pyramid has a defective foundation where little is spent on the lower levels and millions splurged on the topmost level. The BCCI pyramid is no good and therefore by Mr Modi’s argument, a league (the IPL) backed by a defective pyramid should also be unfit to be deemed official
And then there is your piece de resistance – calling the ICL a profit making exercise. What in god’s name is the IPL doing. And as already complained earlier, we are not even getting a whiff of where all that money is ending up. What were you trying to imply when you called the ICL a corporate effort – that its wrong to be transparent and promote meritocracy like they do in the corporate world. The EPL and the NBA, which you claim, the IPL has borrowed heavily from, are also corporate profit making efforts.
And what do you have to say about the Sanford 20-20. Is it official or not. Is it a corporate profit making exercise or not. Does it have a pyramid like structure or not.
You also mentioned something about the other, new, corporate tournaments that are coming up. What are these tournaments that you are talking about? Are they for real or just taking place in your imagination?
I wouldn’t be surprised if you saw corporate backed tournaments in your dreams, all the time
After all one corporate league has already been causing nightmares for you
I’m a simple IT Professional but let me answer your issues one by one based on certain facts:
1. What the BCCI did with the IPL revenue should be none of our concern. BCCI is like a film production company which provided 3.5 hours of daily entertainment and the public was willing to pay for it. Now what the company does with its revenue is completely on it. Who are we to interfere?
2. You say IPL copied ICL’s concept rite? Well first of all IPL’s business model is completely different from the ICL. The ICL doesn’t have a player trading model in the first place. IPL’s model is similar to soccer’s English Premier League. Secondly just because ICL came up with a 20-20 tournament, does it mean that no one else can do so?
3. IPL can never feel threatened by ICL simply because its way too big and diverse as compared to the ICL. Just look at the figures and you’ll know that ICL is a midget compared to IPL. Moreoever, why does IPL need to feel threatened when majority of the ICL players are aged above 30 and have no chance whatsoever of playing for their country even if ICL is legalised.
4. Lalit Modi is absolutely right when he says that ICL has no place in the international cricket calender. Lets take the current example. The ICL season is currently on and at the same time you have the India-Australia series in progress. Not just that, even the Ranji Tropy has just commenced. How would you split players all over the place?
5. Agreed that BCCI’ business structure is not organized but at the end of the day its a multi-billion dollar organization. If you talk about the organizational structure, what do you have to say about the likes of Reliance and Airtel. Their business structure is highly unprofessional and bureaucratic in nature. So, does that mean they should put an end to their business?
6. ICL is indeed a money-making initiative and doesn’t deserve official accreditation. For facts check out my comment on the link http://www.rambhai.com/Cricket/open-letter-to-Mr-Lalit-Modi/
In short, one needs to start digging facts and make logical judgements instead of being carried away by baseless media reports. Once you do that, you would never demand ICL’s legalization.
Interesting argument including the one in the comment above.
For me, I have no problem with the ICL if the structure is such that the money goes into development of grassroot cricket in India. Currently it is not and goes to the pocket of 1 businessman. I also do not like the fact that they engage in piracy. if you and I were to play in the ICL, where do we also start… it turns out to be the alternative system where we wait to make some name and be poached. It has now become a place for so called aggrieved cricketers to quench their ego against their respective board.
While I did hear that the IPL money, BCCIs share as usual got distributed to the state associations, you are right on the details of the same not being readily available anywhere. So no-one can really tell for sure and definitely transparency is missing for the public.
You make an interesting point on the Stanfords but ironically such a rubbish tournament gets a nod because it approached the ICC and got the necessary permissions from boards which were willing and the one which was willing did it with the purpose of countering the IPL and misfired. And maybe perhaps the real saving grace for the Stanford group is that more than the ICC, it has single-handedly done good work to develop grassroots level cricket in West Indies.
The need of the hour though is consolidation not just with India but also from the point of view of the upcoming leagues being started by various countries. If this continues, the cricket fan will give them the boot.
Hi Ashutosh
I will also try answering one by one
1)I think we have every right to know what the BCCI does with their money. Unlike a film production company, which is owned by a group of individuals, the BCCI is not the fiefdom of Sharad Pawar or Lalit Modi. They are answerable to the people of this country
2)I agree with the fact that the modalities of the two leagues are very different. However, on a larger level, they are the same. A twenty -20 league with city based teams featuring Indian and International cricketers. I think its established beyond doubt that the BCCI copied the idea of Twenty-20 league.
3)The ICL does not have top international cricketers of the ban. Lift the ban and automatically the quality of the players in the league will improve drastically. There are enough international players who would join the ICL if not for the ban. If the IPL does not feel threatened , then let them lift the ban. Then we’ll see
4)This issue can be handled similar to the way it is handled in football. When there are international games, all the leagues take a break. Actually, the ICC needs to step forward and get this window thing sorted out. In football, we watch all the leagues right – EPL, the Serie A , the Bundesliga , the Ligue1. Similarly, we can watch all the T-20 leagues when they are on – the Sanford , the ICL, the IPL and whatever else.
5)I wouldn’t comment on how unprofessional or bureaucratic Reliance and Airtel are. It is for the stakeholders of those companies to decide whether they are being run properly and for them to raise objections. Every citizen of this country is a stakeholder in Indian cricket and deserves to know what is going on and has a right to raise his voice.
And the same is true for other sports bodies also. Should we ignore the BCCI because they are making money and castigate the the IHF because they are not
6) I agree that the objective of the ICL is also to make money, although they haven’t started making any. But why shouldn’t you give official accreditation to a League just because it intends to make money.
The ICL was ready to work with the BCCI when it was announced. But the BCCI refused to work with them. The BCCI could have atleast laid down some terms and conditions for them to follow. But they were not willing to do anything
Hey Scorpi
I think its too early to say whether the ICL will spend money towards developing the game at the grass roots level. We will know that only after they start making money.
I agree with you that Subhash Chandra has been wrong in wanting to have everything fpor himself. Getting other involved would have only helped him. Instead he wages a lone battle.
You are right that the ICL is a haven for people who feel aggrieved by the treatment meted out to them by their respective boards. But isnt it good that they have some alternative rather then continue to be mistreated by the board. Should we just continue to live with an inefficient system. This reminds me of the license raj days. We had no alternative then. We have seen how a free market economy with some govt control changed the face of the country. Govt sector companies have also had to improve their act to deal with the private sector players. A free market system can never be detrimental.
As for the number of leagues, the grain will be separated from the chaff very soon. the Good ones will survive and the bad ones will die. The same thing happens in every sector. Even in the early days of pro sports in the US, their were multiple leagues. Then there was consolidation. The same thing will happen in cricket. Why should you ban a league. Let the fans decide. If a private company can create a better league for the fans why stop them.
And you know what, unless you do that, a crappy league like Sanford will flourish. just because they are official. Just like companies which had license survived in the pre 1990 days.
Hey Man!
This reminds me of the ad “Where’s the pulp”?
Guys! he is one of the most insecured ones on this earth. He flayed around, withdrew deals, brokeout in open..damn! above all he still wants to prove his importance. Mr Modi, believe it or not you are frustrated and shit scared of ICL as well.If Mr Modi is talking about profit making, then what is IPL about?…
I was surprised hearing that ICC can’t accept ICL.wow!what creep!
Ask Mr Modi to come out of sheer paranoia first and give us an account of the questions raised here (A big Sickle for you Mods!)
The Most weirdest WTF in Indian advertising history would be Modi doing the same ad which Mudra made for Reliance featuring Sehwaag…”MAAA Tujhe Salaam”…..
Lets not argue anymore on this issue. I’m sure time would speak for itself and eventually all apprehensions regarding accreditation of the ICL and off course tournaments like Stanford would be cleared on their own.
Just on a ending note, I’m sure you are aware of the consequences that Stanford 20-20 is having on the game. Its been receiving mass criticism all over the world due to its sheer motive. WICB had to legalize Stanford because its in dire straits as far as revenue is concerned. ICC has always stated that if the local boards don’t have issues with a particular league, even they dont and that’s how ICC legalized Stanford.
Nevermind, let time speak for itself.
I agree. Let time speak for itself
Hey Ruchi , welcome to ACF
Hope to see you here and on IAL more often