The Sports Buff ⚽️ ⚾️ 🏈

Hello, good afternoon sports fans, I hope you’re well, looking after yourselves and are in good health. Sports fans, I want to talk about an issue important in the life of sports, cricket.

To be more precise, it’s T20 franchise cricket. When it was introduced some 20 years ago, the T20 format was seen as revolutionary, the soon-to-be trailblazer of the modern game.

The introduction of the Indian Premier League (IPL), was part of cricket’s plan to expand, grow and attract a newer younger fan base. On the whole, this has worked.

T20s are exciting and offer nail-biting finishes. As the world revolves around money, it’s fair to say that the IPL has been a money spinner due to TV deals and other sponsors too.

Not forgetting the merchandise the T20s have on sale too. The T20 brand of cricket is here to stay, there’s no doubt about it. Since India started their domestic T20 tournament started, many other countries have followed suit.

Pakistan have their own T20 league (Pakistan Super League), as do Bangladesh (BPL), Australia (Big Bash League) and the Caribbean too (CPL).

I am sure for a fact I have missed some off, and that’s kind of the point. The T20 franchises around the world is getting out of hand. I am sorry to say so, but my point is emphasised, especially with the emergence of a new T20 league starting in UAE and the other in South Africa.

To be fair, South Africa is of course a cricketing force and it was a travesty they didn’t have one. My issue is, with too many T20 leagues and a lot of them competing at the same time as each other, this will kill the fan experience.

Before, the viewer was able to finish watching one tournament and then start watching the other straight after. For the viewer and also the paying customer, that was great.

Now, however, that very same paying viewing customer will feel short-changed. He/she can only watch one game at a time. My other concern is with all these T20 leagues, it’s harming the other forms of cricket, test matches in ODI.

Other tournaments are paying the price for the congested fixtures. Harry Brook isn’t available for this edition of the PSL.

A contingent of Australian players weren’t available in last seasons IPL, which would have come as a big blow to organisers of the IPL.

As hard as international cricket is trying, global T20 leagues will pay more. Some, not all cricket players will no doubt think, my career is a short one, I want to provide for my family and this tournament and the other global T20 tournaments will set my family up.

I paint a bleak picture but don’t say I didn’t warn you cricket fans.

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