Click to play videoNew Delhi: A few months ago, the BCCI paraded Sachin Tendulkar at the glitzy launch of the Indian Premier League. So, it has come as a surprise that the Master-Blaster, according to media reports, may just hold a stake in one of the Premier League teams.
Reports also suggest that Tendulkar is being wooed by the Future Group to jointly bid for the Mumbai team that will play in the IPL. He is already a part of the group for developing categories like sports apparel and sports goods.
Although Tendulkar's managers have dismissed the reports as mere speculation, sources have told CNN-IBN that the deal is stuck at the moment, as they are demanding a large cut from profits.
Several giants of the business world including Anil Ambani, Vijay Mallaya and Kishore Biyani are said to be preparing their bids to run franchises.
Reports also suggest that football teams from the English Premier League and the high-profile NBA are also in the running.
The BCCI is expecting upto $75 to 90 million for each of the 8 franchises. Although the floor price is set at $50 million for 10 years, industry watchers are sceptical about the figures.
"If you're buying a team for five years with a concept that has never worked in India, per se, then should you buy it for 5 years? Should you buy it for 5 months?" wondered Shailender Singh. "Test it out, see what the flavour of the product is. I'm going back to the same point that India wants and watches - just national cricket, and that's where the true interest lies, of gate sales and viewership."
The BCCI, meanwhile, refuses to be drawn into the debate.
At its office-bearers' meeting in Delhi on Tuesday, Rajiv Shukla deflected questions.
"On the 17th, there is a meeting in Jaipur. All IPL issues would get resolved then," he said.
The BCCI is hoping to replicate the model followed by the National Basketball League or the English Premier League and it appears that for now, their plans are on course.
With inputs from Roma Khanna
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