Lalit Modi

And this is wild. Within a span of like two months, he completely upends everything. He's not the chairperson of the BCCI. He's just a newly elected board member, one of, you know, I don't know, five or seven board members. He comes in like a wrecking ball. So the first thing he does... He goes to the main sponsor of the team, like the title presenting sponsor of the Indian national cricket team.

And this is wild. Within a span of like two months, he completely upends everything. He's not the chairperson of the BCCI. He's just a newly elected board member, one of, you know, I don't know, five or seven board members. He comes in like a wrecking ball. So the first thing he does... He goes to the main sponsor of the team, like the title presenting sponsor of the Indian national cricket team.

I think at this point, probably already the logo is on the jersey. That's like one of the main things you're going to get is the title sponsor. And maybe at this point in time, you're also getting the logo on the broadcast.

I think at this point, probably already the logo is on the jersey. That's like one of the main things you're going to get is the title sponsor. And maybe at this point in time, you're also getting the logo on the broadcast.

Well, let me give you a sense of how commercial it is at the time. So the presenting team sponsor is the Sahara Group, which is another one of these big Indian family conglomerates. How much do you think they are paying, the BCCI, for this sponsorship? A million bucks. $100,000 per year. I thought a million was low. Well, just you wait. A million is low.

Well, let me give you a sense of how commercial it is at the time. So the presenting team sponsor is the Sahara Group, which is another one of these big Indian family conglomerates. How much do you think they are paying, the BCCI, for this sponsorship? A million bucks. $100,000 per year. I thought a million was low. Well, just you wait. A million is low.

Mind you, when we've said that cricket is the biggest sport in India, nothing else matters, it borders on religion, it has 93% mindshare of sports in India.

Mind you, when we've said that cricket is the biggest sport in India, nothing else matters, it borders on religion, it has 93% mindshare of sports in India.

Yeah.

Yeah.

If you look at American football at the NFL in America, it's like, I don't know, 37% or something like that. It is less than 50%. Cricket in India is 93%. Yeah, it's a one-sport country.

If you look at American football at the NFL in America, it's like, I don't know, 37% or something like that. It is less than 50%. Cricket in India is 93%. Yeah, it's a one-sport country.

And the middle class is rapidly expanding. So, like, this is exactly as, you know, if you're Pepsi or you're Tata.

And the middle class is rapidly expanding. So, like, this is exactly as, you know, if you're Pepsi or you're Tata.

Oh, my God. Oh, my God. Unbelievable. Now, you might think, oh, okay, well, you just told me that this sport is sort of in the model of the Olympics right now. It's international competition. Maybe they're not playing that much. You know, is this team only playing for two weeks in the summer? Maybe there's just not that much inventory. Nope.

Oh, my God. Oh, my God. Unbelievable. Now, you might think, oh, okay, well, you just told me that this sport is sort of in the model of the Olympics right now. It's international competition. Maybe they're not playing that much. You know, is this team only playing for two weeks in the summer? Maybe there's just not that much inventory. Nope.

No, they're playing 105 days of competition per year, all nationally televised.

No, they're playing 105 days of competition per year, all nationally televised.

You say day. At this point in time, there are two forms of cricket. There are one-day internationals.

You say day. At this point in time, there are two forms of cricket. There are one-day internationals.