Lalit Modi
👤 SpeakerAppearances Over Time
Podcast Appearances
Yep. I think that is unlikely because of the hammer that the BCCI has of, hey, you Indian players, If you do that, we'll ban you from international competition. And they would also not be able to play domestically in India. They would have to play in the Middle East or South Africa or somewhere else. And so that would also hurt Indian viewership.
Yep. I think that is unlikely because of the hammer that the BCCI has of, hey, you Indian players, If you do that, we'll ban you from international competition. And they would also not be able to play domestically in India. They would have to play in the Middle East or South Africa or somewhere else. And so that would also hurt Indian viewership.
I think it is unlikely, but I think it's more likely that the Saudis or some other very large sovereign wealth fund... There's an agreement that they can both come to that keeps everyone happy. Uses this as negotiating leverage. Exactly. Yeah. Yeah. And I think interests are really aligned here on my prior point around infrastructure.
I think it is unlikely, but I think it's more likely that the Saudis or some other very large sovereign wealth fund... There's an agreement that they can both come to that keeps everyone happy. Uses this as negotiating leverage. Exactly. Yeah. Yeah. And I think interests are really aligned here on my prior point around infrastructure.
I think the Saudis want to get involved or sovereign wealth funds generally want to get involved because they see this as a great long-term growth investment. Also, Investing in this infrastructure, physical infrastructure in India, is probably a great long-term growth investment that an investor like a public investment fund of Saudi Arabia is well set up to make those infrastructure investments.
I think the Saudis want to get involved or sovereign wealth funds generally want to get involved because they see this as a great long-term growth investment. Also, Investing in this infrastructure, physical infrastructure in India, is probably a great long-term growth investment that an investor like a public investment fund of Saudi Arabia is well set up to make those infrastructure investments.
So if that happens... There's certainly plenty of upside on every revenue stream that can come from that, but I think at a minimum, that makes the local stadium real estate revenue streams an almost certainty of happening if the Saudis get involved.
So if that happens... There's certainly plenty of upside on every revenue stream that can come from that, but I think at a minimum, that makes the local stadium real estate revenue streams an almost certainty of happening if the Saudis get involved.
Totally. The Saudis don't just want to invest in the league. They want to invest in the whole ecosystem. They want to invest in the infrastructure projects. They want to invest in the stadiums. They want to invest in the buildings. They want to invest in the retail going in around it. Yep. All of that. Hmm.
Totally. The Saudis don't just want to invest in the league. They want to invest in the whole ecosystem. They want to invest in the infrastructure projects. They want to invest in the stadiums. They want to invest in the buildings. They want to invest in the retail going in around it. Yep. All of that. Hmm.
So coming into doing this and starting the research, if you had told me that bull case, I would have said that's insane. I know the IPL is big. I know India is big. I know it's an exciting, compelling product. But really, in 10 to 20 years, this will be as big as the NFL. But you go around and you talk to people who are in the sports industry and you put this question to them.
So coming into doing this and starting the research, if you had told me that bull case, I would have said that's insane. I know the IPL is big. I know India is big. I know it's an exciting, compelling product. But really, in 10 to 20 years, this will be as big as the NFL. But you go around and you talk to people who are in the sports industry and you put this question to them.
Yes. And the response I got was, no, that is not a crazy statement. I could totally believe that happening. Crazy. Things started 17 years ago. And in theory, by the time it is, call it 30 years old, could be as big as the NFL.
Yes. And the response I got was, no, that is not a crazy statement. I could totally believe that happening. Crazy. Things started 17 years ago. And in theory, by the time it is, call it 30 years old, could be as big as the NFL.
And I think also just the development of India, period, which plays into demographics, too. But there's such an infrastructure opportunity here, too, that makes it really attractive to the Saudis or whomever else.
And I think also just the development of India, period, which plays into demographics, too. But there's such an infrastructure opportunity here, too, that makes it really attractive to the Saudis or whomever else.
Yep. It may end up being that actually Lalit's sort of grand plan of being asset-light is debt-free, no stadiums in the beginning, in the long run was actually just a temporary thing.
Yep. It may end up being that actually Lalit's sort of grand plan of being asset-light is debt-free, no stadiums in the beginning, in the long run was actually just a temporary thing.