Indian Entertainment League
The Indian Premier League is widely perceived as the marriage between cricket and entertainment, and the early evidence shows that the entertainment is certainly the dominant partner
Kanishkaa Balachandran
25-Feb-2013
The Indian Premier League is widely perceived as the marriage between cricket and entertainment, and the early evidence shows that the entertainment is certainly the dominant partner. On the eve of the opening match, the Bangalore Royal Challengers, led by Rahul Dravid, weren't allowed to practice in the stadium. Why? Because the preparations for opening ceremony were considered more important. Kunal Pradhan of the Indian Express has more.
The Chinnaswamy Stadium is a hub of activity a day before the so-called revolution. There are huge stacks of speakers lying at various corners of the outfield. At short mid-wicket, a drum-kit takes pride of place on a tailor-made platform. Deep third-man has a troupe of young performers walking on stilts. At long-on, there are Washington Redskins cheerleaders in tank tops and bridal veils practicing an expansive jig.
In the same paper, Harsha Bhogle says it would be unfair to compare the Indian Premier League to a Friday blockbuster release, where fortunes are made and lost in the first three days.
This is more like a brand launch, to be assessed at the end of the season, for commitments are in place for much longer. Few brands get it right the first time; and when the horizon is ten years, the first year becomes a learning phase rather than a do-or-die shootout.
In the Hindu, Nirmal Shekar wonders if the IPL’s big money will subconsciously translate into ‘high value’ and ‘quality’ in our minds.
As players see their bank balances swell by hundreds of thousands of rupees with every over bowled or every brief innings played, some of us might lament the demise of cricket’s so-called soul (for the want of a better metaphor) and the game’s selling out to commerce.
The Telegraph lists out the luxury items available at the Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bangalore on opening day.
Respecting your freedom of choice, we would like you to sample IPLT20.com
Kanishkaa Balachandran is a senior sub-editor at ESPNcricinfo