Throwing out the baby with the bath water

An editorial in the Mint says the BCCI's expulsion of Rajasthan Royals and Kings XI Punjab from the IPL will result in investors withdrawing by way of sponsorship and spectator scepticism.

With the number of teams reduced, so would be the number of matches, which were anyway down from 94—as initially proposed—to 74 for the 10-team league, which is now again down to eight. In which case Sony’s broadcast sponsorship deal will have to be re-evaluated.

The DNA editorial says, "With the league already down to eight teams, there may be a need to invite more investors in the future. If the behaviour of the board veers towards bullying rather than partnering, then attracting big investors, who also come with huge egos and strong opinions, will be very difficult."

And this is from the Times of India: "Scrapping the Rajasthan and Punjab franchises is a drastic move, and one bound to have a ripple effect through the IPL as a whole. But it must be seen in the context of the allegations of improper ownership and shareholding patterns. If the IPL is to have an international profile alongside the likes of the Premier League, such irregularities cannot be allowed. What can be done, however, is to minimise the uncertainty such an overhaul is bringing about. And there, the BCCI is falling short."