Explained: Why IPL is cricket equivalent version of English Premier League

The Indian Premier League (IPL) season is just around the corner as 10 teams will battle it out to win the biggest prize in franchise cricket. Considered the biggest tournament in the world in terms of financial power, the IPL has well and truly captured the imagination of the global audience. For many, it is the equivalent version of the English Premier League, which has a worldwide audience and attracts a fan base from different corners of the world. So is the IPL really an equivalent version of the Premier League as we decode several aspects?

Financial model

Both the Premier League and the IPL have a huge financial pool and generate the highest income in their respective sports. The Premier League's increasing popularity has seen its stocks rise through broadcasting rights while the same is seen with the IPL. Currently, Sky Sports in England pays more than $4 billion to broadcast the Premier League while TNT Sports and Amazon Prime also have match broadcasting rights.

For the IPL, its TV deal sold in 2023 saw them bag a whopping more than $100 million. While it is comparatively low considering the Premier League, it is still the highest for any franchise cricket league in the world. IPL generates the majority of its income through its TV and digital rights sales which are currently held by Star Sports (TV) and Jio Cinema (Digital). According to a report, one IPL match is currently valued at more than $15 million.

Player attractions

Lionel Messi and Kylian Mbappe may have never played in the Premier League, but that did not stop it from being the biggest football model. The Premier League is currently home to some of the finest talents in the world including Erling Haaland, Mohamed Salah and others. No other league in