Is this the beginning of the end of IPL?

The IPL is facing major issues, mainly, having to look for a new title sponsor as DLF are having trouble in the capital department

The stadiums are full. The crowd cheers. Flags high in the sky. Faces painted. Jerseys of the respective teams are adorned by the fans. All food is sold out within minutes. Adrenaline levels are spiking. Music is being boomed at levels that is illegal in some countries. This isn’t any ordinary cricket match- yeh IPL hai boss! (this is IPL boss!)

The DLF IPL has been a hit from the very first season. It is far more successful than any other series of its kind and when these matches are being aired, all cricket fans stay glued to their TV screen. The IPL has seen champions in the form of Rajasthan Royals, Deccan Chargers, Chennai Super Kings and most recently, the Kolkata Knight Riders. The IPL has been the cause of discovery of many players for teams all over the world. It also serves as a form of stress release for the professional cricketers. The money in it, is, of course, big. However the IPL might be coming to an end.

It all started with the Deccan Chronicle’s desperate attempts to save their team, the Deccan Chargers, from termination. The Bombay High Court has rejected the BCCI’s order to stay the termination of the team from Hyderabad, and the new team the BCCI is trying to introduce to replace the Deccan Chargers has failed to attract buyers. Two of the teams’ owners – Delhi Daredevils’ GMR Group and Royal Challengers Bangalore’s UB Group – are in deep financial crisis. Additionally, the league will have to find a new title sponsor to replace DLF LTD. If one observes closely, it is also clearly visible that as the season progresses, the viewership decreases.

The Indian team’s dismal performance is not helping the matter at all. The top four IPL teams – Kolkata Knight Riders, Chennai Super Kings, Delhi Daredevils and Mumbai Indians – sent for the Champions League in South Africa are also performing miserably. There are also allegations of match fixing in these IPL matches. It is also seen that even the players who are out of form while playing for their respective nations magically come to form for the big salary in the IPL, and as soon as the IPL is over, their form also drops drastically. These are the reasons as to why the IPL is in great danger.

The big question is, will there be an IPL 6?