The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) reported a massive surplus of Rs 5,120 crore from the 2023 Indian Premier League (IPL), according to a recent report by Economic Times. This marks a staggering 116% increase from the Rs 2,367 crore surplus generated during IPL 2022.
A major rise in BCCI’s revenue
The report also highlights that BCCI‘s overall revenue from IPL 2023 surged by 78% year-on-year, reaching Rs 11,769 crore. In contrast, the league’s expenditure rose by 66% to Rs 6,648 crore, as outlined in BCCI’s 2022-23 annual report. The primary driver behind this substantial growth was the new media rights and sponsorship deals. The media rights package for the 2023-27 cycle, which came into effect with IPL 2023, is valued at a whopping Rs 48,390 crore.
Disney Star secured the television broadcast rights in 2021 for Rs 23,575 crore (covering 2023-27), while Jio Cinema acquired the digital streaming rights for Rs 23,758 crore. Additionally, Tata Sons clinched the IPL title sponsorship for Rs 2,500 crore.
India’s participation in the Champions Trophy
India’s cricket team is unlikely to travel to Pakistan for the 2025 ICC Champions Trophy. Instead, the BCCI plans to request the International Cricket Council (ICC) to schedule their matches in neutral venues, such as Sri Lanka or Dubai, according to sources cited by ANI. The tournament is slated to take place in Pakistan from February to March 2025. India has not played a cricket tournament in Pakistan since the 2008 Asia Cup due to ongoing political tensions between the two nations.
The last bilateral series between the sides took place in India from December 2012 to January 2013. Since then, both countries have only faced each other in ICC events and the Asia Cup. Although the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) proposed having India play all their Champions Trophy matches in one city—reportedly Lahore—the BCCI remains firm in its reluctance to send the team to Pakistan.
BCCI source, told ANI, “India will not travel to Pakistan for the Champions Trophy 2025. Will tell ICC to hold its matches in Dubai or Sri Lanka.”