Lalit Modi has criticised the Board of Control for Cricket in India, claiming the Indian Premier League is incurring an annual notional loss of ₹2,400 crore due to deviations from its original format. Modi argued that the league’s current structure fails to maximise its commercial potential, particularly in terms of broadcast and franchise revenues.

In his remarks, Modi stated that the IPL was initially conceptualised with a full home-and-away format, where each team would play every other team twice. However, despite the league expanding to 10 teams in 2022, the current format includes only 74 matches in the league stage instead of the 90 matches that such a structure would require, followed by knockout games.

Modi emphasised that the reduction in matches directly impacts revenue distribution, as each game contributes significantly to the league’s earnings. He pointed out that the BCCI receives 50 per cent of the revenue from each match, while the remaining 50 per cent is shared among the franchises. According to him, the absence of approximately 20 matches results in substantial financial losses for both the governing body and the teams.

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Highlighting the commercial implications, Modi estimated that if the IPL operated with around 90 to 94 matches under the home-and-away model, the media rights value alone could generate an additional ₹2,400 crore. He added that nearly ₹1,200 crore of this amount would flow directly to the franchises, increasing their individual valuations and overall financial strength.

Modi also questioned the rationale behind expanding the number of teams without ensuring adequate scheduling capacity for a full-format tournament. He argued that maintaining the integrity of the original structure is a contractual and commercial obligation toward franchise owners, who invested heavily based on those expectations.

The comments come at a time when the IPL continues to grow in valuation, highlighted by recent franchise deals involving Royal Challengers Bengaluru and Rajasthan Royals reportedly being valued at a combined ₹31,000 crore. Modi’s remarks are likely to reignite discussions around the league’s format, scheduling constraints, and long-term revenue optimisation strategies.

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