BCCI plans to start women's IPL by 2023, this season will have 4 exhibition games
Mumbai (PTI): The BCCI is planning to start the Women's IPL by 2023, Board President Sourav Ganguly said on Friday while four exhibition games make a return this season after a one-year gap.
The BCCI, which has been criticised in the past for not starting the Women's IPL, will need AGM's approval to kickstart the league next season.
The Board is planning to have five or six teams in the inaugural edition.
All the existing 10 men's IPL franchises will be given the first right of refusal to buy the Women's IPL teams.
It is learnt that at least four men's IPL franchises are interested in knowing from the BCCI what is on the table in case they want to invest in WIPL.
"It (the full-fledged women's IPL) has to be approved by the AGM. We plan to start it by next year hopefully," BCCI president Sourav Ganguly told reporters after the IPL Governing Council meeting here on Friday.
In an interview to PTI in February, Ganguly had said that Women's IPL will be launched in 2023.
IPL chairman Brijesh Patel also made it clear that this season there will be four matches for the three women teams around men's IPL play-offs.
"There will be four matches involving three teams around the time of the playoffs," Patel said after the meeting.
With the second half of the IPL being shifted to the UAE due to the pandemic, the exhibitions games were not held last year. However, they were staged in the UAE in 2020 when IPL Trailblazers won the title.
According to Patel, there would be five or six teams in the Women's IPL but again that would need approval of the General Body.
The most likely venue for the women's exhibitions games is Pune.
The IPL starts on Saturday with defending champions Chennai Super Kings up against Kolkata Knight Riders at the iconic Wankhede stadium.
IPL media rights tender to be out soon
The issue of IPL media rights for the 2023-2027 cycle was also discussed by the Governing Council.
"The tender will be out soon," said a Governing Council member.
Star India had paid a whopping Rs 16,347.5 crore for the 2018-2022 cycle. With the league's popularity soaring and the addition of two new teams, that number could touch a staggering Rs 40,000 crore for the upcoming five-year cycle.
Companies interested in securing the rights to India cricket's hottest property include Reliance backed Viacom 18, current right holders Disney Star, Sony (which had paid Rs 8200 for nine years, back in 2009) and streaming giant Amazon which could bid for the digital rights.
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Mangaluru’s Karavali Utsava is back; Cultural, beach events lined up, here’s the complete schedule
Mangaluru: This year’s Karavali Utsava will commence on December 20, with a wide range of cultural, adventure, and tourism-focused programs planned across Mangaluru and other parts of the Dakshina Kannada district, Deputy Commissioner Darshan H.V. said.
He was speaking while presiding over a Karavali Utsava preparedness review meeting held at the District Commissioner’s office.
The main event will be held at the Karavali Utsava grounds in the city. In an effort to promote beach tourism, special programs will be organised at six beaches across the district, which include Panambur, Ullal, Someshwara, Sasihitlu, Tannirbhavi, and the Blue Flag Beach.
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Outlining the schedule, the Deputy Commissioner said adventure sports will be held at Sasihitlu Beach, while a wine, cheese, and cake festival will take place at the Tannirbhavi Blue Flag Beach.
A music festival and triathlon are planned at Tannirbhavi Beach. Football, volleyball and other sports events will be organised at Ullal Beach, cultural programs at Panambur Beach, and a music evening and yoga program at Someshwara Beach.
In addition, food festivals featuring a variety of local and regional cuisines will be held at all beaches. The Kala Parba program and a flower and floriculture exhibition will be organised at Kadri Park, while a film festival is also planned in Mangaluru city.
A football tournament will be held at Nehru Maidan on December 27 and 28, and special programs will be organised at Pilikula Nisargadhama. To attract tourists, helicopter joyrides have also been arranged, the Deputy Commissioner said.
The review meeting was attended by Zilla Panchayat Chief Executive Officer Narvade Vinayak Karbari, Mangaluru Deputy Divisional Officer Meenakshi Arya, Deputy Commissioner of Police Mithun H.N., Deputy Conservator of Forests Antony Mariappa, and other officials.
