IPL will be just a TV event amid COVID

COVID -19 has introduced the world to many unexpected things and IPL amid corona is one of them. The 13th edition of cricket extravaganza begins in Dubai without audiences in the stands for the first time in history.

COVID -19 has introduced the world to many unexpected things and IPL amid corona is one of them

The 13th edition of cricket extravaganza begins in Dubai without audiences in the stands for the first time in the history.

The players have been strictly kept in a bio-bubble to avoid any contact from the COVID struck world.

This time the IPL opening witnesses no glitz and gala which once kept the game form class apart from other formats of cricket.

Another disappointing change this time is that the glamour quotuent of the game will be missing as there will be no cheerleaders on the ground

The matches will be played bdhind closed doors and the only way people can see them would be virtual.

The official broadcaster of the Indian Premier League (IPL 2020) is expecting 550Mn+ viewership on the 13th edition of the league. The market is expecting that IPL 2020 will deliver unprecedented ratings this year.

The lucrative Twenty20 cricket competition that has been delayed several months begins in the United Arab Emirates because of the Covid-19 pandemic.

In the original concept, it was a made-for-television event and due to Covid-19 it will get limited to television only event as the fans are not allowed in the stadium.With no spectators allowed to start with, it will be a major TV-viewing experience for India’s cricket-loving population and fans across the world.

Though the BCCI, broadcaster and the street all are expecting IPL 2020 to deliver huge numbers. But can it actually happen ?

During the pandemic whatever sporting event started it saw one particular trend. The viewership ratings in the first week of the event has always seen a huge upsurge, but it dropped as the tournament/league progressed. It happened with Bundesliga, Premier League, with La Liga and more recently with US Open Tennis. Without any doubt, the Indian cricket audiences are LIVE action starved. The rating surely will see a jump in the first week of IPL 2020 but the real challenge will begin as the league will progress into its second week.

It will be huge challenge for the BCCI and the league broadcasters to sustain the ratings with empty stadiums on screen.

Another challenge for the IPL 2020 would be are the players back in the shape after a long break of 6 months. India captain Virat Kohli, who plays for the Royal Challengers Bangalore, and most of India’s top players have been in the Emirates since late last month. They’ve been in quarantine and slowly getting into match shape for the first time since a tour to New Zealand finished in Test series loss in early March.A series in South Africa was canceled when international sports was shuttered at the start of the coronavirus outbreak. There’ll be 56 games in 46 days for the round-robin format, which concludes on November 10.

In middle of all the issues if IPL 2020 can deliver as it always has – it will be only because of the unflinching love that the Indian audiences has for the sport of cricket.