Guwahati: The Indian Premier League (IPL) ecosystem has created a lot of revenue for several media industries and boosted several value chains, Rajasthan Royals (RR) Ranjit Barthakur, told Business North East ahead of his team’s highly anticipated clash with rival team Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR).
Entrepreneur Borthakur, who hails from Jorhat in Upper Assam, said that IPL is “necessary” for the nation as it has done “very good service for sportsmen and cricket.” The ecosystem of IPL has generated a lot of revenue for the media and other industries, he noted.
“So many industries are a part of the value chain: the hotels, the transportation, meaning the entire branding”, he added. “So we very much think that IPL will help the economy, help the players, and help the inclusion of society.” According to the RR chairperson, the cash-rich cricket league is “one of the greatest products India has launched in modern times.”
The IPL’s sponsors, according to Barthakur, have contributed a great deal in making the league a household name in the country and beyond. “They've got a good sponsor in the form of Tata”, he noted. “All other brands that are linked with IPL are also very helpful and very powerful in creating a brand image for cricket”, said the entrepreneur.
Barthakur also informed that the sporting event, through television and internet-based platforms, is reaching hundreds of millions of people around the world. “[The IPL] is distributed to almost all countries with a viewership of anywhere between 600 to 900 million”, he said. “Many digital formats have also helped in spreading IPL to the mass market.”
The RR chairperson also shared some insights into preparations for his team’s contest with the KKR. At present, the KKR leads the IPL standings with 19 points, while the Royals are in second place with 16 points.
“A lot of preparations are going on in terms of online, offline, off-field, and on-field training with the entire team. Our team has been motivated to ensure that we play the way we always play”, he told BNE.
Guwahati’s ACA Stadium is the second home to Rajasthan Royals after the Sawai Mansingh Stadium in Jaipur. The team is playing its last two league matches at the Assam stadium. Ahead of the KKR clash, the team locked horns with Punjab Kings in a losing effort on May 15. The Sanju Samson-led outfit hosted their first-ever IPL home game at the ACA Stadium in 2023.
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