IPL Governing council to meet on Saturday to discuss final plans for the tournament
Source: K Shriniwas Rao, Cricbuzz
The governing council of the Indian Premier League (IPL) will be meeting via teleconference on Saturday, followed by a meeting with their primary stakeholders, i.e. franchise owners, broadcasters and central sponsors, on Sunday and Monday. Discussions will be held on the final plans for the tournament scheduled to start from the 19th of September in the United Arab Emirates.
The BCCI shared its plans with the Times Of India yesterday, which are as follows:
Bio-Secure bubble: Each franchise will create its own bubble in which the team will only be interacting with a limited number of people in their ecosystem or allotted to them by BCCI. A similar bubble will be created for the Indian cricket board and the IMG staff, broadcasters etc. Nobody will be allowed to interact with individuals outside their bubble except through pre-appointed coordinators.
Revenue Pools: Since all 60 IPL matches are being played in 51 days, there will be no change in the distribution of BCCI’s central revenue pool.
Gate Money: Had the IPL not happened, franchises wouldn’t be looking at any income. Letting go of gate money, the board says, is “pittance”.
Travel and accommodation: Franchises will have to figure their own travel arrangements and accommodation in UAE. BCCI will coordinate with UAE to ensure “discounted hotel rates” and share it with the franchises. It will be the franchise’s discretion to settle for options provided by BCCI or make their own arrangements. Franchises will fly their players to UAE and back, as is the case during IPL in India.
Medical assistance: Franchises will arrange for their own medical teams and the BCCI will arrange a central medical team. Once players & support staff land in UAE, the onus of testing will be on the franchises, who will, in turn, coordinate with BCCI’s medical team on a 24×7 basis. Each franchise’s medical team will stay with their respective teams within the security bubble.
Player replacement and loaning: There will be no change in the player policy and the franchises will be free to travel with extra players so as to avoid last-minute travels.
The board and governing council are working on details to prepare a draft on these policies that will be discussed at Saturday’s meeting and then shared with the franchises. IPL chairman Brijesh Patel said, “Once we share what we do with the franchises, we know there will be questions. We need to be thoroughly prepared.”