The Women’s Indian Premier League begins in March — and teams are pricey.
The Board of Control for Cricket in India has reportedly set a base price of $49.1 million for a WIPL franchise, with the belief that each of the five franchises will fetch between $122.9 million and $184.3 million at the upcoming auction.
- The base price for a WIPL franchise will reportedly equate to what the men’s franchises cost ahead of their inaugural season in 2008.
- The cost would be paid over five years.
- The BCCI is reportedly likely to send out tender documents to interested parties.
Jay Shah, secretary for the BCCI and president of the Asian Cricket Council, previously said he was hopeful owners of the men’s 10 IPL teams would bid for a women’s team. The Rajasthan Royals, Punjab Kings, and Mumbai Indians previously expressed interest.
Media rights to the 22-match competition, which will take place over a month, will be sold in a closed auction in January.
Cricket Mania
Cricket is feeling the love across the board. The women’s side may just be starting, but the men’s side is outpacing other major leagues.
The Indian Premier League secured a record $6.02 billion for streaming and TV rights in June and is third to only the English Premier League and the NFL in viewership, per BCCI estimates.
IPL club valuations are also growing at a faster rate than NFL and NBA teams.
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