The most important limitation of this Study, as is for all other activities, is the limitation of time. The project has been prepared over a period of
approximately 25 days. This, I believe is a rather constrained time for a project of this magnitude.
Another important limitation was collecting financial data of all the IPL teams. While the data for most teams could be found, the financial data of teams like Mumbai and Chennai could not be gathered inspite of best efforts.
Considerable limitation was faced during collection of primary data and conducting interviews. While I was not allowed to ask Mr. Gautam Dasgupta a single question on IPL betting, I also had reasonable difficulties in collecting primary data on Commercialisation of Football.
I originally intended to interview Mr. Biswajit Bhattacharya, Former India Footballer and the Technical Director of Bengal Football Team for the 2014 Santosh Trophy, on Commercialisation of Football. But he delayed our meeting by a considerable time and ultimately I could not meet him as he left for the Santosh Trophy Tournament. I had also tried to interview a few former Footballers in vain before finally settling on Mr. Samir Paul Chaudhury and Mr. Subrata Bose respectively.
But such hindrances will always be there and one cannot blame them in entirety. Overall I am deeply relieved that I was able to complete the project within the scheduled time.
Bibliography:
Books:
1. The Commercialisation of Sport (Sport in the Global Society) Trevor Slack (Editor)
2. The Football Man: People and Passions in Soccer by Arthur Hopcraft 3. Soccer Syndrome: From the Primaeval Forties by John Moynihan 4. The Glory Game by Hunter Davies
5. Among The Thugs by Bill Buford
6. Only a Game?: The Diary of a Professional Footballer by Eamon Dunphy 7. Guide to Indian Premier League by Rakesh Pandey, Chetan Narula and Mukesh Kumar
8. Indian Premier League by Frederic P Miller, Agnes F Vandome and John Mc Brewster
9. Sachin Tendulkar: The Man Cricket Loved Back Hardcover
by ESPNcricinfo (Author)
10. The Great Tamasha: Cricket, Corruption, and the Turbulent Rise of Modern India Hardcover by James Astill (Author)
Websites:
1. http://www.sports.yahoo.com/
2. http://www.espn.com/
3. http://www.bleacherreport.com/
4. http://www.cbssports.com/
5. http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/
6. http://www.nbcsports.com/
7. http://www.sbnation.com/
8. http://www.foxsports.com/
9. http://www.rantsports.com/
10. http://www.deadspin.com/
Appendix
Interviews Conducted:
1.
Interview with Mr. Gautam Dasgupta regarding Commercialisation of Cricket:
In order to collect primary data on the subject, I conducted an interview with Mr. Gautam Dasgupta, Current Chairman of the Board of Trustees, CAB and Former Joint Secretary of the BCCI and CAB on 22nd February, 2014 at 10 a.m.
at the YMCA Grounds. Details of the Interview are presented below and the Multiple-Choice Questionnaire is given in the annexure section.
Q. Your Views on IPL?
Reply: There has been a general deterioration of the game. Bowlers are bowling only 4 overs while Batsman are getting less time to get settled.
However, it has turned into a lucrative pastime for the younger generation.
Q. Your views on Commercialisation of Cricket?
Reply: Commercialisation began in 1990’s with the Globalization era. IPL has not introduced the concept of Commercialisation newly. Infact, I can say that the Commercialisation aspect has reached a point of saturation through the IPL.
Q. Has Cricket been benefitted?
Reply: Yes, the game of T20 has been greatly benefitted.
Q. But the solitary T20 World Cup win for India came in 2007 when IPL was not introduced.
Reply: Yes but in general, T20 as a new aspect of the game has been
promoted well through IPL. As far as our team’s performances in subsequent World Cups are concerned, I think the post-IPL fatigue is the reason for their failure at the World T20.
Q. Is there any pressure on the Cricketers owing to increased sponsorship?
Reply: Sponsorship pressure is there. But the performances of the players have got better. They are required to give their best in almost every game. I mean at the recent IPL Auction (referring to the IPL Player’s Auction, 2014), players like Praveen Kumar and Munaf Patel went unsold. But they used to be premier fast bowlers of our country until very recently. So yes Sponsorship Pressure is there.
Q. Have the Team Owners been able to recover their investments and make any profits. What is your opinion?
Reply: I don’t know exactly about the financial details but KKR (Kolkata Knight Riders) was into losses for its first 2 years. They broke even in the 3rd year and after that, they are making profits. This is what I have heard from their team representatives. But IPL has introduced the Franchise Model of doing Business. The Corporate Giants like Vijay Mallya and the Ambanis have not invested into the game only because they did not know how to spend their money. They are lured into the IPL due to the name and glamour associated with it. So, their Goodwill and Brand Value has increased though the Cash Profits are very negligible.
Q. Finally has IPL replaced First-Class Cricket as a medium of Team Selection?
Reply: No. Not at all. Playing for the Country is still a top priority for
emerging Cricketers. IPL has not improved the standard of Bengal Cricket.
But Shami Ahmed has made it to the team purely on account of good performance in First-Class Cricket.
2.
Interview with Mr. Samir Paul Chaudhury regarding Commercialisation of Football:
In order to collect primary data for my project I also conducted an interview with Mr. Samir Paul Chaudhury, Assistant Secretary of the Club, Avenue Sammilani on 23rd February, 2014 at 4 p.m. at the club office and the Multiple-Choice Questionnaire is given in the annexure section.
Q. What is being done to take Indian Football to the International Standards?
Reply: As of now, there has been no organized approach under the Parent Body. But an individual endeavor on the part of the clubs is there.
Q. How would rate the progress?
Reply: Satisfactory.
Q. Should more money be invested for developing proper infrastructure to promote Football?
Reply: Yes, it is urgently needed. I feel that it is very necessary. As of now, a part of the Education Grant of the total Budget is allocated for promoting football by the Central and State Governments. Moreover, the grants given by both the Governments are very little. So, corporate investments are needed at once.
Q. Should I-League be commercialised the same way as IPL?
Reply: I feel that IPL Cricket is not Cricket. If a concept like IPL is introduced in Football, I don’t think it will be successful at all.
Q. What do the Indian Footballers lack when compared to their International Counterparts?
Reply: Definitely Infrastructure. I won’t say Indian Footballers are less skilled or the skill has totally vanished from the current crop of budding Footballers.
The Infrastructure is surely absent. I mean it is underdeveloped.
Q. Your views on Player’s remuneration?
Reply: There is clearly nepotism at the Government Level. So far none of the Former Footballers has been given their due recognition by the Government.
While in Cricket, Sachin Tendulkar has already got Bharat Ratna. There is no equal distribution of money. Administrators are getting too many benefits while Players are getting none.
Q. Finally does betting exist in Football?
Reply: I can’t comment on betting at International Football but it does exist in Kolkata Football in a very different form. For instance in Third Division games, if you have power, the referee can be easily managed. But proving it is very difficult. For instance, most of our Club Footballers come from the villages. The practice games of the Club always clash with their District games. We have made several appeals to the Governing Body to alter the dates so that the Best Players are available for the Club, but they have always turned a deaf ear. This is probably done to weaken Club Football.
Moreover there is Location as well as Date fixing but I won’t go into its details. But yes, they do exist.