English Premier League?

[Murad]

Collier backs English version of IPL

Cricinfo staff
April 6, 2008

David Collier, the ECB chief executive, has said it will be very hard for England's top players to take part in future Indian Premier League (IPL) tournaments because of the international schedule. He added that the ECB was preparing to adapt their domestic Twenty20 Cup to attract more leading players and offer an alternative to the IPL.

"It is a question of finding periods of the year for this [the IPL] to take place," he told BBC Radio Five Live's Sportsweek show. "We are one of the few countries who play in June, that is why our competitions are so successful because we can attract the best players in the world. That is why we believe that an English Premier League will be very successful including a broad range of cricketers."

An expanded Twenty20 Cup is on the agenda of the ECB meeting this week and changes could take place as early as this season's tournament in June. An increase in overseas players is one option on the table with more drastic changes being discussed for the 2009 event.

Recently, Kevin Pietersen has said that frustration is growing that England players are unable to take advantage of the money on offer. Dimitri Mascarenhas is the only representative from England, have coming to a deal with Hampshire who will release him for two weeks.

There has been talk of the IPL being brought forward so it doesn't clash with the start of the English domestic season, but there isn't much room in a congested calendar. "The obvious time for the IPL to play is April and May, but that clashes with the start of our international season," said Collier.

"We play New Zealand on May 15 in England, for our players to take part their schedule has to come forward a few weeks to fit into that calendar. We should also not forget that we go to the West Indies in the spring of next year. The IPL has said that the tours programmes will take precedence, and clearly that will clash with us being in the West Indies."

Collier also said that it will take time to find out how commercially successful the IPL will be and that it will have to operate at a loss for some time. "Certainly if you look over a five-to-10-year period, we can believe the claims that Indian cricket is worth a billion dollars," he said. "But there are 10 franchises, and every one has a turnover of about eight million dollars, it is being said in India that those franchises will be making a loss for a number of years.

"That is not unusual, in the US when franchises start, they make losses for a number of years. But if you are investing in such numbers, you expect a return in the not-too-distant future, and that will happen in India. But it will not be for a while."

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If this goes as the planning, then IPL will go down long way, thats for sure.

I'm all for the EPL.

[Eshen]

Stanford wants to bankroll EPL

http://content-www.cricinfo.com/bagg...ry/347384.html

Allen Stanford, the Texan billionaire who has proposed a US$20 million winner-takes-all contest between England and a West Indies XI, could be prepared to bankroll an English version of the Indian Premier League, but only if the England & Wales Cricket Board can guarantee him a return on his investment.

Stanford has been in talks with the ECB all week, because he believes that, if done properly, a proposed English Premier League offers the only realistic rival to India's riches. He told The Times on Wednesday that he already had a group of investors lined up to get involved if the notion can get off the ground.

There are plenty of hurdles to overcome before Stanford's wishes can be granted, however, not least the likely opposition from the first-class counties who might fear being marginalised in such a deal. "The ECB are conservative," Stanford told The Times. ""They realise they're at a crossroads. They either let the Indians do it or they step up and get a game plan.

"The ECB, for my estimation, need to be the driver," said Stanford. "The organisation here is better, the management is better, the structure is better. It's inevitable that the ECB will create a Twenty20 league, it's inevitable that it will involve the private sector and it's inevitable that the game will evolve."

Stanford said that he was willing to be a "big supporter" of English cricket, but warned that the players, fans and administrators shouldn't just look at him as a benevolent uncle of the game. "There's two types of investor," he said. "There's the philanthropists, who don't exist. The others look at the return. If I do anything outside the West Indies, I want to see what kind of return I get."

Julian Hunte and Donald Peters, the president and chief executive of the West Indies Cricket Board (WICB), have also been in London for discussions that have been described by all parties as "very productive", although the ECB have not commented on the possibility of creating the EPL.

[Yasin]

The more the merrier. Bring it on.

[akabir77]

another tournament from where bd players won't make a dime...

[Cash$$$]

Originally Posted by akabir77
another tournament from where bd players won't make a dime...

dude you have to EARN your status in sports.... you think Irish players will make it? what about kenyans? When BD will start winning more frequently...their value will sky rocket..

on the same note....some of these county England players are below par everyone...yet they make so much money in pounds! just b'coz they are over there.

EPL will suck big time, who the hell would wanna see those prudes except their own fans.

[bharat]

Originally Posted by muradnyc
If this goes as the planning, then IPL will go down long way, thats for sure.

I'm all for the EPL.

Funny !! As long as India (IPL) goes down Murad is happy.Good for you man.

[Kabir]

Originally Posted by bharat
Funny !! As long as India (IPL) goes down Murad is happy.Good for you man.

Lol. Good point Bharat

[al-Sagar]

when bangladesh is gonna launch BPL (bangladesh premier leaugue) ?????????????????????????????????

[Spitfire_x86]

Originally Posted by offstump
when bangladesh is gonna launch BPL (bangladesh premier leaugue) ?????????????????????????????????

Our (Dhaka) Premier League is already a few decades old, just shows how advanced our thinking really is

[Eshen]

ECB unveils new Twenty20 tournament

The much-anticipated English Premier League will get underway in 2010, with two divisions made up of ten teams, after the ECB unveiled a radical shake-up of the domestic game following its board meeting at Lord's.

In a unanimous decision, the format that has been agreed upon will involve all 18 first-class counties, plus two overseas sides to make up the numbers, with the matches to be played in the month of June. One of the teams will be provided by Allen Stanford and it is believed the other will be from India, with the winners of the IPL the likely choice.

A separate Twenty20 League for the 18 counties will then take place, primarily on Friday nights in July and August, and will act as the qualifier for the Champions League. The current Pro40 competition will be scrapped to make way for the competition.

"I am delighted that the board unanimously supported these creative proposals," said the ECB chairman, Giles Clarke. "I would like to congratulate everyone for their hard work and thank those who went to considerable time and trouble to produce documents for discussion.

"We have already received enormous broadcast and sponsor interest from around the world which was reported to the board by the chief executive David Collier."

Full Report

[auntu]

next to come PPL, SLPL, APL, NZPL, SAPL and on and on....

May be one day there will be only PLs no tours....

[Slater582]

the same note....some of these county England players are below par everyone...yet they make so much money in pounds! just b'coz they are over there.

I would say most county players are below par.

EPL will suck big time, who the hell would wanna see those prudes except their own fans.

If you look at your average 4 day county game, the grounds are almost empty. Seems like even their own fans aren't that bothered...

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/cric...es/7510080.stm

BBC Report.

So on a positive note they've got rid of Pro40, which is completely pointless.

But they've now got TWO different T20's
Talk about overkill

There were plans for 9 franchises rather than 18 counties but that would run the risk of many missing out on the gravy train.

"I suspect there will be four overseas players allowed in each squad to freshen it up.

18 counties X 4 OS players = 72

Will any Bangladesh players be available in June?

[auntu]

Originally Posted by Slater582
Will any Bangladesh players be available in June?

Taholeo lav nai. chance pabe bole mone hoi na.