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India’s own T20 league, the Indian Premier League (IPL) is getting bigger and bigger. In the 15th edition, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) introduced two new teams. The number of league games went up by 14 (70 from 56). And now, as per a few reports, it can go up even further as the Indian cricket board is looking to increase the number of games per season.
According to a Cricbuzz report, the BCCI is looking to gradually increase the number of games. In the first two years of the cycle, the total number of games (including playoffs) can remain at 74. However, after that, it can go up to 84 games per season. In the fifth and final season of the cycle, it could be 94 although the BCCI has kept the option of 84 games also open.
Basically, the formula is to have 410 games in five seasons and not 370. Thus, with the new media rights up for grabs, the bidders are believed to have been advised to go with the calculation of 410 games, and not 370. But the lack of clarity in Invitation To Tender (ITT) for media rights is not sitting well with the bidders, the report added.
How many games will each team play?
While the BCCI came up with a group division plan to accommodate two new teams in the league and formula was devised to keep the total number of games to 74, it is not clear how BCCI will host 84 games in a season. The 94 games per season formula is blunt as all ten teams will get to play against each other twice in the league stage but 84 games per season will be difficult to distribute.
The board, however, can modify the current formula and can make a team play twice against each side in one's own group, twice against two of the other group, and once against the remaining three.