Cricketing Tourism
Wednesday, 20th May, 2009
When it was decided that IPL should be conducted out of the country there were many theories that came up saying that it would not be as successful as the first edition which was conducted at home. It was believed that the stadiums would remain empty as people would not turn up to see matches of the player not of their own country, though a few of them are in different teams. The players would not get the support that they could expect back home in India. So technically, there would not be much of the sponsors and it would be a flop in financial terms.
Well all the theories are wrong. This is what this second edition has proved. With Jam packed stadiums, and people from every walk of life turning up to watch the superfast form of the game, it can be easily believed that spectators as well as the players have enjoyed the game to the maximum in South Africa. Games like that of one between the Deccan Chargers and Kings XI Punjab at the Wanderers in Johannesburg is an example where local people have supported both the teams to the maximum. Even those who just have come up to see the game could enjoy the kind of uncertainty it can bring in a game. Nothing was sure as to who is going to win the game. People have enjoyed IPL in South Africa as well. Of course it would have been a great difference had it been played here back in India.
It is also heard now that with the kind of support this tournament has got in South Africa, it is advised to the IPL management to making it a touring tournament. Everyone is pretty sure about the success of the tournament on the foreign soil as well. In financial terms as well, with the kind of turn up the people have shown it can be easily imagined that no matter on which part of the earth the game of cricket is being played, when it is being played between the teams having superstars from the world, the cricket fans will reach there to enjoy the game and support their favorite stars. When asked to Shaun Pollack the coach of the Mumbai Indians, he said that once every two or three years it can be played outside India, however it should be played primarily in India because it is Indian Premier League. He also said that in South Africa there is no other game of Cricket is going on which has pulled the local fans. Also there are many Indian origin people living in India who turned up to see the games and it was not a mission for the people of India to come to South Africa to watch the games. The games played in the last week have been that exciting and close that even if you are an impartial spectator you could not help but be interested.
It is in fact a good idea for the promotion of the game of cricket and more importantly for the promotion of IPL itself that it should be played outside the country every alternate year. With more and more international players playing in the IPL it would allow the foreign spectators to see them playing live on their home grounds as well. Nextly, by conducting IPL outside India, the management and the team owners could earn more money by attracting the sponsors from outside India. This may ensure some more foreign currency coming to India. This cricketing tourism would be an added flavor for the cricket fans in India as well. On the other hand by playing it outside India every alternate year, we would also let the Indian fans enjoy the game and the favorite players at the home grounds.





