Lalit Modi

Preeti Zinta's group gets the King's Eleven Punjab for $76 million, suspiciously close in price to the $75 million Shah Rukh Khan bid, but only $1 million more. Anyway, this, I think, is known at the time.

Preeti Zinta's group gets the King's Eleven Punjab for $76 million, suspiciously close in price to the $75 million Shah Rukh Khan bid, but only $1 million more. Anyway, this, I think, is known at the time.

One of the other board members of the BCCI, who would soon become the chairman of the BCCI, a gentleman named N. Srinivasan, who also is an industrialist who owns the Indian Cements Company, he buys the Chennai Super Kings for $91 million, despite also being a board member of the BCCI. Hey! Hey! What do you know?

One of the other board members of the BCCI, who would soon become the chairman of the BCCI, a gentleman named N. Srinivasan, who also is an industrialist who owns the Indian Cements Company, he buys the Chennai Super Kings for $91 million, despite also being a board member of the BCCI. Hey! Hey! What do you know?

Exactly. Very interested. This is a huge, resounding success. And then on the back of the franchise auction, a couple of weeks later, now the player auction actually happens. And it goes exactly as predicted. Interestingly, MS Dhoni, who's a legendary Indian cricket player, he goes for a million and a half dollars in the auction, which was a huge spend.

Exactly. Very interested. This is a huge, resounding success. And then on the back of the franchise auction, a couple of weeks later, now the player auction actually happens. And it goes exactly as predicted. Interestingly, MS Dhoni, who's a legendary Indian cricket player, he goes for a million and a half dollars in the auction, which was a huge spend.

I mean, remember, the cap on the purse is $5 million. So you're spending one and a half of your five on one player. And how many players per team? There are 11 players that play on the field at a given time. So, you know, one of your 11 playing players, you're spending 30% of your cap on. So anyway, all this, just like Lollet prophesied, huge headlines, just adds to the media buzz.

I mean, remember, the cap on the purse is $5 million. So you're spending one and a half of your five on one player. And how many players per team? There are 11 players that play on the field at a given time. So, you know, one of your 11 playing players, you're spending 30% of your cap on. So anyway, all this, just like Lollet prophesied, huge headlines, just adds to the media buzz.

And then, at least from a competitive parody standpoint... It actually works. So the Rajasthan Royals, despite being the cheapos, they bring better analytics than anyone else to the auction. They win the championship in the first year. Now, we should also point out that they have not won a championship since then in the subsequent 16 iterations of the IPL season.

And then, at least from a competitive parody standpoint... It actually works. So the Rajasthan Royals, despite being the cheapos, they bring better analytics than anyone else to the auction. They win the championship in the first year. Now, we should also point out that they have not won a championship since then in the subsequent 16 iterations of the IPL season.

But today there are 10 teams in the league and seven of the 10 teams have won the championship. in the, what is it, call it, 17 seasons that have been played so far. And every single team has at least been runner-up, second place lost in the championship game. Sounds well-balanced. So if you're trying to design a competitive parity league, this is a A+++.

But today there are 10 teams in the league and seven of the 10 teams have won the championship. in the, what is it, call it, 17 seasons that have been played so far. And every single team has at least been runner-up, second place lost in the championship game. Sounds well-balanced. So if you're trying to design a competitive parity league, this is a A+++.

Yep.

Yep.

I would say explosive right away is an understatement. As you might expect, given the incredible architecture of it and Lollet's force of will personality, this thing is a sensation, is... All of the predictions that they made, the business plan, the soap opera, the every night that this is going to be the biggest thing ever to happen to media in India. It's true. And it's true right away.

I would say explosive right away is an understatement. As you might expect, given the incredible architecture of it and Lollet's force of will personality, this thing is a sensation, is... All of the predictions that they made, the business plan, the soap opera, the every night that this is going to be the biggest thing ever to happen to media in India. It's true. And it's true right away.

I think it happened in part because it had to happen. Lollett was running such a high wire act with all of these year one deals. Like, hey, I promise you this is going to work like we all think in year one. And if it doesn't, I'll shut it all down.

I think it happened in part because it had to happen. Lollett was running such a high wire act with all of these year one deals. Like, hey, I promise you this is going to work like we all think in year one. And if it doesn't, I'll shut it all down.

So we don't cover the ones that this was like a one shot opportunity.

So we don't cover the ones that this was like a one shot opportunity.