Existing franchises not too pleased with BCCI’s plans to include new franchise

The IPL 2020 is over and the Board of Cricket Control of India (BCCI) is already gearing up to roll out plans for the IPL 2021. The news of BCCI looking to increase teams (1 or 2), in IPL 2021 is doing the rounds – but how feasible it is for all the concerned stakeholders ? How comfortable are the existing stakeholders with the idea ?  InsideSport reached out to some of the stakeholders to check their reaction on the development. Out of 8 IPL franchises, InsideSport spoke to management of 3 franchises and all 3 were of the view that such a move should not be made for the next IPL in 2021. According to them, this not only hurt their interests but time is not right for IPL to absorb someone else soon.  “We have not been informed anything about any increase in the number of franchises. Whatever info we have that is through the media reports. See, BCCI has all the right to increase the teams but at this stage when every stakeholder has taken some pain on account of Covid-19, our personal view the addition should only happen in 2022 when the new media rights deal will be in work”, said owner of one of the IPL franchise.  “Where is the time for such a move”, countered another franchise representative ? “All franchises you will speak to, they will be of the same view. IPL has to expand someday, it can’t be a 8 team affair forever, we understand that but my personal view is that BCCI should let things settle down for sometime before making such a move”, said the official of franchise.  InsideSport tried reaching out to official broadcaster Disney Star India as well for their official take on the possible increase in the number of teams but did not get any reply from them.