The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) is considering to host a second Indian Premier League (IPL) every year during the months of September and October.
According to a report of The Indian Express, during the BCCI-IPL governing council meeting last month, the officials contemplated on how to use the two-month window it receives every year after the Champions League was called off in 2014.
The report suggests the board is thinking of utilizing the period for a second IPL to extend the participation of the teams, from their regulated period of two months, which they believe will increase the incoming revenue of the cricket governing body and the franchises as well.
“The Champions League (CLT20) used to be played during the Sep/Oct window of around 15-20 days, however, CLT20 was discontinued five years ago, the last event being the CLT20-2014,” IPL’s chief operating officer (COO) Hemang Amin was quoted as saying to the council in The Indian Express report.
“Since the Sep/Oct was CLT20 window, BCCI should look at utilizing this as a 2nd IPL window so the existing teams can have a longer participation instead of the two months and this will also entail that BCCI creates a new revenue stream which will be beneficial for the teams, BCCI and extension of brand IPL,” Amin added.
Reportedly, the governing council also had long words about friendlies between IPL teams at overseas locations. The COO said that allowing the franchises to play against each other on foreign soils will widen the brand of IPL and give the Indian diaspora there the opportunity to witness their favourite teams in action.
BCCI secreteay Jay Shah believed that the issues needed to be discussed with a larger group and it was decided that the general body of the board will take a call in the future.