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| Sahara India |
Sahara India announced that they want to exit
Indian Premier League with their own team Pune Warriors India, which it bought
few years back at the auction. Pune Warriors players will definitely feel let
down after Sahara India announced its decision to say bid adieu to the IPL.
2013 is not going well for IPL, first the Spot-Fixing Scandal and now another
team is going to leave IPL. Sahara made the decision because of financial
problem with BCCI.
The home ground of PWI was the Subrata Roy
Sahara Stadium, and it is located in the Pune suburb of Gahunje. The Pune team
was not successful in the tournament, finishing second from last in their
inaugural season and in their final season and last in 2012.
The franchise fee of Rs. 170 crore was to be
paid by May 19 but Sahara India failed to meet the deadline. So, BCCI move to
encash Sahara's bank guarantee. This was the third case of the Board encashing
the bank guarantee for recovering its dues. It had earlier done so with Kochi
Tuskers and Nimbus.
Sahara said that they were very disgusted
about BCCI’s Attitude; they added "We would not keep the IPL franchisee
even if the entire franchisee fee is waved off. It is firm and final decision
of Sahara to withdraw from IPL,"
Sahara India said that "We and Kochi
Team immediately protested and requested BCCI to reduce the bid price
proportionately for viable IPL proposition. Nothing was heard. We waited with
confidence that such a sports body should have sportsmanship spirit,"
“But BCCI is only concerned about money and
not about the genuine interests of the franchise,” said Sahara.
Sahara also told in press conference "In
2010, Sahara had bid 1700 crore for IPL franchise on the basis of revenue
calculation on 94 matches. It was tricky on part of BCCI to put the number in
media as 94 matches for getting bigger amount. But we got 64 matches only,”
"Yes, it (Pune Warriors) has pulled out.
As per the rules and procedure of the BCCI if a franchise fails to pay the fee
then we encash the bank guarantee of the franchisee. We are extremely sad by
their decision to pull out. This should not have happened," Shukla said.
However it looks like National Indian team
going to lose their sponsor this year.
Sahara Added “We have given time to BCCI to
get the new sponsorship from January 2014.We will continue the national team’s
sponsorship up to December 2013, the expiry date of the present agreement.”
BCCI also requested Sahara not to withdraw
from IPL, "The BCCI approached us for a solution and requested us to not
withdraw. After a series of discussions with the topmost BCCI officials
including the BCCI President at Mumbai, a Joint Statement was issued by Sahara
and BCCI in Feb 2012. The Joint Statement, amongst many other things,
specifically mentioned the agreement to start Arbitration proceedings through
immediate appointment of an Arbitrator," it said.
"Sahara also assures its sponsors and
other supporters who have shown faith in us that their obligations have and
will be fulfilled and there will be no compromise on their status or
rights," told by Sahara.
"Besides, we are in the process of
building a Sports Foundation...There will be a Central National Sports Academy
with numerous regional sports academies affiliated to it."
About the Author
Aranyak Ghosh is a blogger from Kolkata, India. Apart from Blogging, he loves to watch action movies, and football games. He mainly writes about social media affairs and recent changes in technological world.
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This is nothing but ego cold war between corporate houses. We all know Chennai Super Kings get more preference than others for reasons well known. Sahara was never comfortable with this, earlier also there was controversy and Sahara threatened to pull the sponsorship. I am not a financial or legal expert but prima facie it looks like owners of Pune Warriors have correct stand. They were promised around 94 matches when they bought the team for 1700 crores and the actual matches they got are lesser.
ReplyDeleteSahara has rightfully deemed BCCI's approach unprofessional. Sahara has also announced that the team will not participate even if the whole franchisee fee is waved off. This episode has given a new twist to the already troubled league which has seen a spate of controversies since its inception.
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