British cricket is Americanized with IPL from 2008 in India. The glitz and glamour, or it for seven weeks, is only increasing for the past 11 years. The billions of money involved make it the most wanted game not only for the viewers but also the famous cricket players worldwide. In 2017 Star India bought its broadcast rights for a whopping 2.55 billion dollars. That will explain the impact of IPL worldwide.
For the past eleven years, there have been many controversies and accusations against the IPL. But nothing reduces its charm only to raise every year. Many cricket experts look at IPL as not an authentic cricket tournament, but it never stops exciting people during the summer vacations every year.
India treats cricket like a religion. But over the years, watching cricket test matches for days and even one-day matches were too much for even the cricket-crazy Indians. Hence in 2008, IPL came to redefine cricket in India. Though it did not put an end to the traditional forms of cricket, it was sure a game-changer for cricket lovers. It is not only watched in India but worldwide for enjoying the glory of cricket. It ranks in the sixth position by average attendance among all sports leagues globally.
Since IPL is now global with two of its annual matches already conducted overseas, there are global impacts due to it. There are many positive and negative impacts due to IPL every year.
Five positive impacts of IPL:
Even for non-cricket lovers, IPL provides full-fledged entertainment for three hours every day and double that on holidays for seven weeks every year.
Since IPL starts in April and ends during the last week of May, it coincides with the summer vacation of the students in India. It gives them the much needed free entertainment for the vocation. Also, debates on who will win or lose engage them fully during the vocations to be busy all the time. Hence it keeps them working to be safe from any harm or not indulging in any undesirable acts.
- It helps parents not to spend much money on entertaining their kids during vacation.
- It provides a lot of job opportunities thousands of people around the country and in particular where all its matches are played
- Helps the people to forget their day to day worries and watch IPL match in television sets at the comfort of their home
Five Negatives impacts of IPL:
Cricket is considered as the gentleman’s game. With IPL’s reduced time, it has lost both its image and also the quality of the game. The good old times of people thronging stadiums for days to watch test matches for nearly a week is long gone now. Even the one-day matches are slowly losing sheen, and only world cups and significant tournaments are having viewership in the television sets and fewer in stadiums. It could hit the cricket in the long run.
Starting during the first week of April, it coincides with many students’ final subjects board exams. It distracts even a disciplined student and causes immense loss of his future with reduced academic grades. With TV running in the next room, and commentaries are even heard from neighbouring houses, students’ concentration in studies will be distracted. Also, even watching it for a few hours, could have an impact on their memory to remember the answers while writing the exams.
Many entertainments which solely depend on the vocation time, is badly hit due to IPL. Tourism is one that is profoundly affected, as many stops going on an annual vacation tour. Also, theatres, circus, fairs, and many more are hit but IPL. Film making, which involves millions and depending only on the audience to come to theatres to watch them are not only disappointed but also lose huge investments. Summer camps for various activities for children and teenage people do not get enough participation from the people. Overall, IPL washes away most of the entertaining, social, and travelling practices for the people during its seven weeks of telecast in the television sets.
Young people who need to have more physical activity during their growth time are deprived of it by IPL. Vocation holidays of more than a month are the time for them to rejuvenate the mind and body for one more year of studies. But just sitting in front of the television for the three hours watching IPL becomes their daily routine. Also, for having more advertisements, there are programs based on the IPL all through the day to keep the young people glued to their TV sets. It is harmful to both their mind and body.