Lalit Modi

He also alleges that he has evidence that Sony had been, at least in certain markets, cutting away from the game early to squeeze in extra commercials and not showing all the balls that were bowled and over. Who knows if that's true or not? I don't know.

He also alleges that he has evidence that Sony had been, at least in certain markets, cutting away from the game early to squeeze in extra commercials and not showing all the balls that were bowled and over. Who knows if that's true or not? I don't know.

I suspect that had the IPL not been such a huge success and Lollett were not looking to tear up the contract, he would not have caught these discrepancies, shall we say? Yes. And of course, it's not till the end of the season that he points all this out. On the back of this, he strong arms Sony and World Sports Group into renegotiating a new deal that is going to be direct with Sony.

I suspect that had the IPL not been such a huge success and Lollett were not looking to tear up the contract, he would not have caught these discrepancies, shall we say? Yes. And of course, it's not till the end of the season that he points all this out. On the back of this, he strong arms Sony and World Sports Group into renegotiating a new deal that is going to be direct with Sony.

They throw World Sports Group a bit of a bone. I think maybe they let them keep the international rights. But Sony is now going to directly do a 10-year deal with the IPL for $2.4 billion. So $240 million a year. Quite a bit more than the $60 million that they had paid for year one.

They throw World Sports Group a bit of a bone. I think maybe they let them keep the international rights. But Sony is now going to directly do a 10-year deal with the IPL for $2.4 billion. So $240 million a year. Quite a bit more than the $60 million that they had paid for year one.

Yep. And really just tells you everything you need to know about how much of a success this is here because Sony is willing to say, okay, fine, I'll let you rip up the contract and I'll pay you roughly 4x.

Yep. And really just tells you everything you need to know about how much of a success this is here because Sony is willing to say, okay, fine, I'll let you rip up the contract and I'll pay you roughly 4x.

As Lalit would point out, I made a lot of money for everyone. Yep. So things start off well, I guess you would call that well, from IPL's perspective during the offseason. But then as we're getting closer to the season launching in 2009, general elections are happening in India and elections are contentious. There are security issues and the government and various state police organizations are

As Lalit would point out, I made a lot of money for everyone. Yep. So things start off well, I guess you would call that well, from IPL's perspective during the offseason. But then as we're getting closer to the season launching in 2009, general elections are happening in India and elections are contentious. There are security issues and the government and various state police organizations are

start coming to the BCCI and the IPL and saying, hey, I'm not sure that we can promise security at the matches this season. And so they go back and forth. They're like, oh, are we going to move some of the matches in some of the states and can some of the states provide security and not others? Ultimately, they decide, shoot, we can't hold this thing in India at all.

start coming to the BCCI and the IPL and saying, hey, I'm not sure that we can promise security at the matches this season. And so they go back and forth. They're like, oh, are we going to move some of the matches in some of the states and can some of the states provide security and not others? Ultimately, they decide, shoot, we can't hold this thing in India at all.

Yes. So on very short notice, I think like a month notice, they airlift the entire tournament out of India and move it to South Africa. And then they reset up all the teams in South Africa. I mean, they're the same team, same ownership, same player, but they just assign like, oh, Mumbai, you're now in Cape Town or wherever. Reassign teams to all the cities. Wow.

Yes. So on very short notice, I think like a month notice, they airlift the entire tournament out of India and move it to South Africa. And then they reset up all the teams in South Africa. I mean, they're the same team, same ownership, same player, but they just assign like, oh, Mumbai, you're now in Cape Town or wherever. Reassign teams to all the cities. Wow.

And they restart the IPL and they play it in South Africa. Amazingly, it goes pretty well. And this actually becomes a great thing for the IPL because it's still very popular in India. It's broadcast back in India. Local revenue for the teams and the stadium, gate receipts and sponsorships... for the local teams was never that much in India. Still isn't that much to this day.

And they restart the IPL and they play it in South Africa. Amazingly, it goes pretty well. And this actually becomes a great thing for the IPL because it's still very popular in India. It's broadcast back in India. Local revenue for the teams and the stadium, gate receipts and sponsorships... for the local teams was never that much in India. Still isn't that much to this day.

So you're actually not sacrificing much revenue by doing this?

So you're actually not sacrificing much revenue by doing this?

Yes. And satellite signals work just fine from South Africa to India.

Yes. And satellite signals work just fine from South Africa to India.