It has not exactly been a spectacle but the stakeholders of the ILT20 - players, franchise owners, sponsors and broadcasters alike - are happy with the way it has shaped up so far. Almost a week into the start of the maiden edition, and the participants opine that UAE cannot have had a better event for the growth of the game in this part of the world.
THUMBS UP
ILT20 participants upbeat about the league
Shahrukh Khan, the owner of the Abu Dhabi Knight Riders, was a big draw on the opening night. © Getty
"Optics may not be great but all the franchises are happy with the business model and how it is being organised. It is the only tournament where the owners will not suffer losses like other leagues happening simultaneously," says Venky Mysore, the CEO of Abu Dhabi Knight Riders, part of the Knight Riders brand with presence in various T20 leagues.
With no major Indian, Pakistan or Bangladesh participation, the crowds have been staying away but the organisers and broadcasters are confident about the product. "The tournament has been doing very well back home in India. There were 1.5 million concurrent viewers for the opening ceremony in which some international stars performed. Bollywood star Shah Rukh Khan, the owner of Knight Riders, was a huge hit," says an official of Zee TV, the broadcasters of the league.
Emirates Cricket Board's secretary general