A significant boost is on the way for the Twenty20 cricket format, or T20 as it is more commonly known. The Women’s Premier League (WPL), which will have five clubs, will begin play on March 4 and last for about three weeks. This comes after the Indian Premier League (IPL), which had over 400 million viewers across television and digital platforms for its most recent season after debuting in 2008.
How will WPL help develop women’s cricket in India?
There is no question about what cricket represents to the typical Indian. Purchasing rights, promoting teams, or getting one’s brand publicized can cost several billion dollars today. The audience profile for the 2018 WPL promises to be interesting, despite the fact that cricket is a successful commercial model. After all, a variety of choices are based on that factor set.
The IPL’s main architect and former MD of IMG, Balu Nayar, offers an intriguing viewpoint. The shorter duration of T20 was aimed to attract women, whom sports had historically lagged behind. We sought to draw viewers of general entertainment channels, with younger ladies as our initial focus, he says. He claimed that strategy performed admirably and received a significant boost after Disney Star acquired the rights, with regionalization and content playing a part. “Due to their cosmopolitan environments, young girls were lured to urban locations, especially in Chennai and Bangalore.”
Cricket is a game of large numbers, and once there is interest, a lot of things start to happen. According to independent marketing and media consultant Madan Mohapatra, the WPL will have the same magical effect as the IPL. The women’s competition should have begun considerably sooner. According to him, it will further highlight how well-liked women’s cricket is by the general public, particularly women. It might not be the only benefit. Parents will at last see that women who play cricket have a profitable and successful professional alternative. In addition to serving as a great source of motivation for aspiring female cricket players, its popularity will eventually raise the level of competition in the sport.
Naturally, gaining a following takes time, and given that it has been around for so long, men’s versions are likely to be preferred. Nayar draws attention to the fact that websites like SheThePeople are also getting involved to promote fan growth and interaction. Success for India in the WPL will undoubtedly create the groundwork for a bigger play. The caliber of Indian women’s cricket will rise dramatically, according to Mohapatra.
“There will be more options to monetize cricket time through endorsements and other methods since faces will be more easily recognized. There is now a chance to create a new women’s cricket industry all around the world. With time, India’s reliance on it will only grow, giving it more clout in the ICC”.
