If cricket is the passion of India, why don't we watch domestic cricket? Earlier the matches weren't telecast live. Now, Neo Sports is doing that as well. Then, why aren't we watching the matches?
Because in the semi-final of the Ranji Trophy League, the premier domestic cricket league of India, Mumbai is declared the winner against Saurashtra on the basis of first innings scores. Mumbai won the toss, elected to bat and scored in excess of 600 runs. Saurashtra replied by scoring 370 odd runs. Mumbai had barely begun their second innings when five days got over and thereby the match as well. Imagine five full days of cricket and barely manged to finish the first innings!
BCCI has a monopoly over the sport in the country. But it doesn't manage the sport, it only manages the funds generated by the sport. The sport generates funds in spite of BCCI; the country has an insatiable appetite.
What if international cricket collapses? Where would Indian cricket get its money from? Ever watched the domestic sports circuit in the US or other countries? The stadiums look filled to capacity every time. Can BCCI learn? Can it work to make the domestic circuit more result-oriented? Can it facilitate intense battles and dramatic matches? Can it learn to generate money from domestic cricket in stead of running it with the money generated out of international cricket?
Make sport look like sport. Make it entertaining. We don't mind watching. We have the time. We don't mind paying.
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