IPL 2020 franchises need BCCI intimation about event, pose questions about UAE hosting it

The Indian Premier League (IPL) 2020 seems to be finally headed to United Arab Emirates (UAE) after the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) recently sent an acceptance letter to the Emirates Cricket Board (ECB) on hosting the IPL 2020. While the IPL dates have made the rounds on the internet, the franchises are yet to officially hear from the BCCI on the matter, which is becoming quite a concern.

Also Read: AB De Villiers, Imran Tahir Amongst 10 RSA Cricketers Who Might NOT Play In IPL 2020

IPL 2020: Franchises concern ahead of the tournament 

According to a report in The Times of India, team owners and officials spoke about their worries ahead of the start of IPL 2020. According to the report, the first question for the franchises referred to the dates of the IPL Governing Council meeting and another meeting separately between the BCCI and the franchises. According to the report, the franchises feel that until all of them the same page, nothing is going to move and for that, effective communication is critical, which they feel has already been delayed tremendously.

Also Read: IPL 2020: BCCI Sends acceptance Letter To Emirates Cricket Board To Host Tournament In UAE

The second concern for the franchises is about the official confirmation of dates, venue and match schedule. According to the report, all the IPL 2020 teams and their owners are currently in the middle of renegotiation with sponsors after the IPL 2020 became a TV-only event. Franchises have said that they need to understand the scenario better and the sponsors need to be informed in detail as numbers in terms of deal valuations, need to be reworked. 

Also Read: IPL 2020 Franchises Dented By Loss Of Sponsors; RR, SRH, DC, KXIP Hit The Most: Report

The third concern for IPL franchises is the revenue-sharing, ticket compensation and accommodation. The team owners expect revenue distribution from the central pool, including revenue from broadcast rights, to remain the same and not change. The report further states that, each franchise is expected to lose anywhere between ₹2.5 to ₹3.5 crore per IPL match from gate revenues and so the main concern lies in the BCCI compensating for the loss. Apart from gate revenues, franchises are also concerned about the accommodation part as well, since in India accommodation during IPL comes cheap but not so much in the UAE.

Also Read: IPL Franchises Seek Special, Chartered Planes To Make Tournament Happen In UAE: Report

Franchises are also concerned about flying the Indian and overseas players and families to UAE and back. The report states that while franchises understand that flying the players to UAE and back will be their responsibility, that can effectively happen only once the BCCI is clear on what policies it wants to lay down.

The question regarding the safety of cricketers and people involved during the tournament is also been raised by franchises. The franchises want to know is the kind of policy the BCCI wants to puts in place to ensure safety. The report further states that franchises are in the middle of putting their own plans in place in terms of safety of those involved with the tournament and KXIP co-owner Ness Wadia recently endorsed the view that players and officials should be tested daily in the UAE for coronavirus.

IPL 2020: CSK, RCB could be affected the most and here is why 

While the IPL dates are out in the open, Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) and Chennai Super Kings (CSK) are likely to be affected the most as South African players are most likely to miss the IPL 2020 due to travel restrictions in the country. The IPL 2020 is scheduled to begin on September 19 and the final will be held on November 8. But with COVID-19 cases rapidly rising in South Africa, the chances of players participation looks bleak.  

Both teams' foreign contingent includes three players, all of whom are marquee players. While RCB, whose batting strength relies heavily on AB de Villiers, will be forced to look for other options to replace the veteran cricketer, CSK could be without two of their strike bowlers - Imran Tahir and Lungi Ngidi.

(COVER IMAGE: INDIAN PREMIER LEAGUE / TWITTER)