Franchises back venue switch

IPL franchises have been largely supportive of the decision to move the tournament out of India, particularly when the most likely alternative was to scrap the season altogether. However, though they have been sured by the IPL of their financial interests being fully protected, they have said it would be a huge disappointment to the Indian fans.

"It is frustrating that it has taken so long," Manoj Badale, one of the owners of the Jaipur franchise, told Cricinfo. "But as I understand it, the government's position on the 'blackout dates' around the elections has only just been confirmed."

Badale is based in the UK and he acknowledged that there was a silver lining in the form of tapping a new market. "It will have positives in terms of brand building but fundamentally it will be disappointing for the huge numbers of Indian fans who will miss out - not to mention the loss of income for the Indian economy."

Nita Ambani, owner of the Mumbai Indians, said she was happy the tournament wasn't being called off and that the franchises' finances were being looked after by the IPL. "My first objective was that I did not want the IPL to be cancelled," she said. "Having the event in any country is good as long as it is during Indian television prime time (4 pm and 8 pm starts). The IPL has said we will not have a loss - they will bear the losses."

Vijay Mallya, who owns the Bangalore Royal Challengers, said the IPL's decision to take care of the franchises' finances showed "true commitment on the part of the IPL and the BCCI". "The change in venue does not mean that the competitive spirit would change," he said. "Fans across the country should not really complain. They will be able to watch on television."

Shah Rukh Khan, who co-owns the Kolkata Knight Riders, was pragmatic about the venue switch. "We have to respect the elections in the country. That is a bigger issue than our issue," he said. "By shifting the IPL abroad, we have tried to find a solution to the problem." It was a view that was echoed by fellow Bollywood actor and owner of Kings XI Punjab, Preity Zinta.

Paul Marsh, the chief executive of the Australian Cricketers' Association, also welcomed the prospect of the tournament carrying on. "Our members want the IPL to proceed provided the safety of the teams is not compromised," he said. "Given the current situation in India, the decision to move this year's event is a sensible one and will likely maximise player participation."

Former South African captain Shaun Pollock, who has an advisory role with Mumbai, said it was sad the IPL had to be moved out of India. "It is sad because I'm sure the Indian public would have loved to watch the IPL live," he told Cricinfo. "There was such a huge response to it last year, but I guess it is better that it's on TV and being played somewhere in the world than not at all." He said the terror attacks in Lahore had changed his view of the security situation in the subcontinent, and suggested the decision to move the IPL away from India would be welcomed by many contracted players.

Kapil Dev, the former Indian allrounder and current chairman of the ICL, criticised the BCCI for not consulting players about the relocations of the IPL's second season. "I would first take the players into confidence and take their concerns first before deciding to shift any tournament that belonged to India," he said. "The tournament was intended to be held in India, therefore the administrators of the game should have first talked to the players before venturing to shift the tournament."