Archive for October, 2004
BCCI’s new row
The Board of Control for Cricket in India has been in news for quite a while and for all the wrong reasons. First came out the fact that BCCI is not controlled by the Government of India. So it is like team India plays for a club. No, it is not a national team. It is just a fact but alarming it is. The team which represents Indian cricket at the international level has nothing to do, at least officially, with the Government of India.
Second and most alarming- Till 2 days back, there was no official television coverage for the much awaited India Australia Test series. ESPN- Star bid with Zee and BCCI decided something else while Zee cried foul in the end. And Sony took away the rights. It is so strange that in a country where Cricket is followed next to religion, the telecast rights are controversial and the interests of the common man watching this game are given the least priority. Why have all this controversy? I know why. Because BCCI wants to earn loads and loads of money. Because at one time, this BCCI was a cash starved entity and now that it has tasted money, thanks to these so called television rights, the focus point is money.
I have a better idea. BCCI has enough money to start its own channel, exclusively for India matches. Why not do it? This way, you keep the rights, you earn from the channel sponsors and you pay the cricketers and do what you do anyway with your money. At least we wont have to face blackouts while Dravid has hit the ball in the air or when Agarkar has dropped that crucial catch.