The Indian Premier League or IPL as it is popularly known is not just a celebration of the beautiful game as we know it. The IPL aims at catering to the entire mass of India and the world in general and not just cricket aficionados. Though cricket is religion in India, a large section of the population, especially women, remained aloof to the intricacies of cricket. On the other hand, children, youngsters and older men mostly remained hooked to cricket. However, with the steady departure of the stalwarts of the Indian team, spectator interest in the game started waning. This was witnessed especially when it came to Test cricket.
Women in particular never liked cricket owing to the long durations and careful watching that it entails. Test and ODI cricket was often labeled as boring by a large section of women and other individuals who did not quite possess a keen interest in the nuances of the game. Twenty20 brought about a welcome diversion for every section of the population including women. Matches could now get over within 3-4 hours at the most, with loads of excitement on the pitch owing to the increased sixes, fours and dismissals. Tight contests could be expected among the best stars. This is what essentially caught on as a concept, one that was formulated under the IPL.
The IPL brought together stars from all countries and nations and pitted them against each other for some nail biting action. Alongside, franchises started developing their own loyal legion of supporters and fans. Icon and marquee players played alongside domestic and local Indian talents who blossomed and stole the limelight at many an edition. Off field entertainment reached a new level altogether with a plethora of customer centric events, audience special events, contests, off field interviews, celebrity interactions and so on.
Alongside, special VIP or premium box tickets gave the buyer access to IPL after parties which were attended by Bollywood stars, celebrity team owners and the players themselves. Access to the VIP box also guaranteed first hand access to Bollywood stars, team owners and their whole entourage. This was a major attraction for many individuals. Alongside, the galaxy of VIP’s including Bollywood stars, celebrities, businessmen and even leading politicians at matches was another added attraction for viewers and spectators. Television audiences had plenty of off field entertainment options lined up for them as well.
As a result, the Indian Premier League has always been about entertainment. It fuses together glamour, cricket, stars and mass hysteria for a fabulous entertainment package. The 2014 IPL auction was keenly followed like every year and the composition of teams this year will only make for a more exciting edition ahead. The IPL auction saw over 200 players go under the hammer and threw up some surprising results as well. With the auction over, fans cannot wait for all the action to unfold. You can now lap up all the action with cutting edge sporting gear, jerseys, autographed equipment and other team merchandise.
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