This applies not just to the rising talent of the cricketers who have been snapped up for good money to play in a new cricket tournament, but also to those who see WPL take a hold on this spectator sports nation. The very fact that three established (men’s IPL) franchises – Mumbai Indians, Delhi Capitals and Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) – and two new ones – Gujarat Giants (established Pro Kabaddi League side) and UP Warriorz – put their money in the ring for WPL 2023 shows how demand can – and should – be built up on the back of supply.
Numbers, especially when connected to money, matter. They provide the most objective version of value yet known. Which is why, even as ₹50 lakh was the highest base price, the very first bid had India’s superb opener Smriti Mandhana have Mumbai Indians and RCB locked in a bidding war, which the latter won after picking up Mandhana for ₹3.4 crore.
Dependable money was spent on dependable players – ₹3.2 crore on Australia’s Ashleigh Gardner and England’s Natalie Sciver by Gujarat Giants and Mumbai Indians respectively. UP Warriorz and Delhi Capitals got Deepti Sharma and Jemimah Rodrigues for ₹2.2 crore each.
Like in any value-based enterprise, investments are key – in players, in infrastructure, in marketing to garner more interest, in the actual quality of show. The five WPL franchise owners are looking for returns. The inaugural auction has set up a valuable, virtuous cycle that should see the pool of teams expand in the future.
