Mumbai: The BCCI has raked in Rs 4,669.99 crore from franchise bidders for the Women’s Premier League. Adani Sportsline forked out the most amount at Rs 1,289 crore. Three of the winning bidders also own IPL franchises - Royal Challengers Sports (owners of Royal Challengers Bangalore), JSW GMR Cricket (owners of Delhi Capitals), and Indiawin Sports (owned by the Reliance Group, which also owns the IPL franchise Mumbai Indians).
This adds to the Rs 951 crore that the BCCI will get from Viacom 18, which had earlier gotten the broadcast rights for the league.
The BCCI had issued an invitation to tender to acquire the right to own and operate five franchises in the WPL. Pursuant to the tender process, various interested parties submitted their bids for the WPL franchises. The financial bids were submitted by the authorised representatives of the interested parties.
The following successful bidders (subject to definitive documentation and other formalities being completed) are:
The franchises will participate in the inaugural season of the WPL, subject to the bidders completing the post-bid formalities as specified in the invitation to tender document.
Argus Partners was the legal advisor to the BCCI.
BCCI president Roger Binny said, "I congratulate the winners for making successful bids to own WPL teams. The league will give players from India and abroad a chance to learn and grow together. It will pave the way for development at the grassroots level with the inclusion of more women cricketers. I would also like to congratulate the BCCI team for the smooth execution of the auction process. I’m confident that the league will help our women cricketers shine on the global stage."
BCCI honorary secretary Jay Shah said, "It is a historic day for women’s cricket. I welcome Adani Sportsline Pvt. Ltd., Indiawin Sports Pvt. Ltd., Royal Challengers Sports Pvt. Ltd., JSW GMR Cricket Pvt. Ltd., and Capri Global Holdings Pvt. Ltd. to the Women’s Premier League. The collective bid of INR 4669.99 crore shows that our stakeholders thoroughly believe in the concept and have faith in BCCI’s vision and plans for the league. I thank all the participants for their overwhelming response. I believe that with a record media rights valuation earlier and now with these high bids, the league will be a commercially independent and self-sustaining property.
The league will surely provide more strength, but more importantly, it will create a more equitable future for women and girls in our sport. We are standing at a juncture where women’s cricket is set to grow by leaps and bounds, and the WPL and the pay-parity decision earlier are significant milestones."
BCCI VP Rajeev Shukla said, "This is the beginning of a new era of inclusivity where our women cricketers will get the unique opportunity to develop, thrive and excel at the global stage with the WPL. It fills my heart with pride to see this transformation happen in women’s cricket in such an affirmative way. This is truly going to set a benchmark for women’s cricket. A hearty congratulations to the new owners."
IPL Governing Council chairman Arun Singh Dhumal said, "I would like to congratulate and welcome all the winners to the WPL. It’s an honour and a pleasure to see the response we have received from the participants to investing in the inaugural edition of the Women’s Premier League. This is a strong testament to the value women’s cricket can offer and with this, there will be a central pool of self-sustaining resources for women’s cricket. I’m certain that women’s cricket will reach new heights with the commencement of the WPL."
BCCI Treasurer Ashish Shelar said, "A historic day as we witnessed the dawn of a new era in women’s cricket. I congratulate and thank all the bidders for the faith they have shown in the Women’s Premier League. The teams attracted a total bid of Rs 4669.99 crore which is a record figure for a women’s tournament and an indicator of the change to come. The Women’s Premier League (WPL) will be a definitive platform for our women cricketers to thrive and excel."
BCCI joint secretary Devajit Saikia said, "I congratulate all the five teams for bagging the ownership rights for the Women’s Premier League. It truly is a red-letter day in the history of women’s cricket and for women in sports. We had 16 parties submitting their bids, which reaffirms their faith in the capabilities of the new league. The Women’s Premier League has already generated tremendous interest and these five teams will take the fan base to another level."
For the record, the MI women’s team is the fourth MI franchise after the Mumbai Indians, MI Cape Town, and MI Emirates.
Nita M. Ambani said, "With great joy and pride, I welcome our women’s cricket team to the MI #OneFamily! This is a historic moment for Indian cricket, and we are delighted to be a part of it. India’s women cricketers have always made the nation proud in the global sporting arena – be it the World Cup, Asian Cup or the recent Commonwealth Games! This new Women’s League will once again shine a global spotlight on the talent, power, and potential of our girls. I’m sure our women’s MI team will take the Mumbai Indians' brand of fearless and entertaining cricket to a new level altogether. My heartiest congratulations to BCCI on this landmark announcement! It will pave the way for more and more young women to take up professional sports. At Reliance, we remain committed to the glorious rise of women, not just in cricket, but sport in general."
Akash M. Ambani said, "I am happy to extend a warm welcome to our women's cricket team, the fourth franchise to join the Mumbai Indians family. The launch of the Women's Premier League is a historic moment and I'm proud that India is at the forefront of this change. I eagerly look forward to the upcoming season and am confident that the WPL will have a lasting impact on the empowerment of women in sports. As we bring the MI experience and best practices into the women’s game, we look forward to seeing our women's team excel and inspire future generations of female athletes."
