UAE ticket sales likely to cover BCCI's costs

The United Arab Emirates leg of the 2014 IPL has expectedly left a dent in the BCCI's coffers. However, the board is likely to recover most of its costs, thanks to the overwhelming response from cricket fans in Abu Dhabi, Sharjah and Dubai.

The first 20 matches were moved to the UAE as it clashed with the federal elections in India. The BCCI has not indicated the range of costs of staging the IPL in the UAE, though confirmed estimates from UAE indicate that the hosts of the first leg of the IPL gained to the tune of $1.25 million for staging 20 matches over two weeks. While the 15 evening games were rented out for $75,000 each day, the five double-headers fetched the Emirates Cricket Board $100,000 per day.

Even though the gate money for IPL matches in India is collected by the respective franchises, it is understood that the gate receipts for the first fortnight were retained by the BCCI since the BCCI bore all the costs, including the in-stadia arrangements for hosting games.

With 19 of the 20 matches in the Gulf being sell-outs, the BCCI is likely to make up most of the costs it has incurred. Especially considering that 82% of the spectators had reportedly bought tickets as against only 56% in 2009, when the IPL was staged in South Africa.

While the franchises are still waiting to get a final word on the compensation package for moving five of the 14 league rounds out of India, the BCCI remained tightlipped when asked to respond about the compensation package for the franchises.

In 2009, when the IPL was moved to South Africa for the same reason as 2014, the BCCI's total expenses of Rs 822.92 crore for the financial year 2009-10 were the highest in the last decade. The total surplus of Rs 63.18 crore was just one-third of the profit for the next year.