Lalit Modi

Two, it should not compete with the other forms of cricket, but rather it should compete with other forms of entertainment. So that's evening prime time view. Not only is India somewhat short in terms of supply of sports content, it's actually quite short in terms of general entertainment content. Apart from Bollywood, Lalit and I agreed that we didn't want to compete with other cricket.

Two, it should not compete with the other forms of cricket, but rather it should compete with other forms of entertainment. So that's evening prime time view. Not only is India somewhat short in terms of supply of sports content, it's actually quite short in terms of general entertainment content. Apart from Bollywood, Lalit and I agreed that we didn't want to compete with other cricket.

We wanted to compete with the soap operas. We therefore needed to create IPL in the image of a soap opera so that if you didn't watch last night's episode, you're not in the conversation at the water cooler the next morning. Most households in India were single television homes, and women controlled the remote control watching soap operas at night.

We wanted to compete with the soap operas. We therefore needed to create IPL in the image of a soap opera so that if you didn't watch last night's episode, you're not in the conversation at the water cooler the next morning. Most households in India were single television homes, and women controlled the remote control watching soap operas at night.

The man of the house had little to say in what was seen. So in order to create a successful television product, we had to make something that women would be attracted to, and that's what caused us to bring in Bollywood.

The man of the house had little to say in what was seen. So in order to create a successful television product, we had to make something that women would be attracted to, and that's what caused us to bring in Bollywood.

No other sports league in the world has done what IPL has done here. Today, IPL viewership is entirely 50-50 gender parity between men and women. And the reason that that is the case is because they bring Bollywood in to the ownership groups. So Bollywood and cricket were and still are the two biggest things by far in India, as Andrew Wildwood was saying, like there is no number three.

No other sports league in the world has done what IPL has done here. Today, IPL viewership is entirely 50-50 gender parity between men and women. And the reason that that is the case is because they bring Bollywood in to the ownership groups. So Bollywood and cricket were and still are the two biggest things by far in India, as Andrew Wildwood was saying, like there is no number three.

It's Bollywood and cricket. And when it comes to Bollywood, there is one star that shines brighter than everyone else. So there's a quote from Manoj Badali, who is the principal owner of the Rajasthan Royals and wrote a book about his experience.

It's Bollywood and cricket. And when it comes to Bollywood, there is one star that shines brighter than everyone else. So there's a quote from Manoj Badali, who is the principal owner of the Rajasthan Royals and wrote a book about his experience.

He writes, "...within Bollywood, there are B-listers, A-listers, double A-listers, and way above them all is Shah Rukh Khan, richer and more famous than Tom Cruise or Clint Eastwood and adored by the entire country." Turns out, he and Lollett had known each other since childhood.

He writes, "...within Bollywood, there are B-listers, A-listers, double A-listers, and way above them all is Shah Rukh Khan, richer and more famous than Tom Cruise or Clint Eastwood and adored by the entire country." Turns out, he and Lollett had known each other since childhood.

And there were few others within Indian cricket who could have convinced him to invest and participate so actively in the league. The profile that he provided as the tournament was launching was incalculable. So Lalit knows Shah Rukh Khan, biggest star in India. There's one problem, though. Shah Rukh is not a cricket fan. He's into soccer. Really?

And there were few others within Indian cricket who could have convinced him to invest and participate so actively in the league. The profile that he provided as the tournament was launching was incalculable. So Lalit knows Shah Rukh Khan, biggest star in India. There's one problem, though. Shah Rukh is not a cricket fan. He's into soccer. Really?

So Lalit goes to him and is like, I need you to be part of the ownership group.

So Lalit goes to him and is like, I need you to be part of the ownership group.

All post-facto retconned. Yes, yes, yes. Here's the real story. This is amazing. We should say all the quotes from Lawlett and the direct firsthand information from Lawlett comes from a great series of interviews that he did on the Sports Entrepreneurs podcast that we'll link to in the sources. So Lalit obviously knows Shah Rukh. This is the perfect, you know, get him in on the ownership group.

All post-facto retconned. Yes, yes, yes. Here's the real story. This is amazing. We should say all the quotes from Lawlett and the direct firsthand information from Lawlett comes from a great series of interviews that he did on the Sports Entrepreneurs podcast that we'll link to in the sources. So Lalit obviously knows Shah Rukh. This is the perfect, you know, get him in on the ownership group.

He's the brightest star in India. Have him at the matches. Whoa, I could tune into a soap opera at night. Instead, I could go watch like the biggest star in India there dancing on the field with all this incredible going on at the matches. But the problem is he's not into cricket. So Lalit tells the story. Shah Rukh said, Lalit, I don't know how to do this. My passion is football.

He's the brightest star in India. Have him at the matches. Whoa, I could tune into a soap opera at night. Instead, I could go watch like the biggest star in India there dancing on the field with all this incredible going on at the matches. But the problem is he's not into cricket. So Lalit tells the story. Shah Rukh said, Lalit, I don't know how to do this. My passion is football.