IPL chairman sees no threat from new T20 leagues

NEW DELHI : The Indian Premier League's (IPL) stature as the world's top Twenty20 competition is secure despite the emergence of similar franchise-based tournaments around the world, its chairman Arun Singh Dhumal told Reuters.

The IPL, with an estimated brand value of $8.4 billion, continues to attract the world's top players and coaches with the kind of money T20 competitions in Australia and England can only dream of.

The landscape is changing, however, with lucrative leagues starting up in the United Arab Emirates and South Africa this year, while Major League Cricket gets underway in the United States next month.

Even if players now have more choice where to take their talent than ever before, Dhumal was confident the IPL would retain its primacy in franchise cricket.

"We don't see anyone else as our competition, there is none even close to IPL," he told Reuters by telephone.

"Our best wishes to all the boards starting their own T20 leagues, but I don't think any of them can be a threat to IPL."

Dhumal's conviction stems from the strong viewership numbers for this year's IPL, which concluded on Monday, especially from the league's digital partner.

Jio Cinema, in a statement on Wednesday, said more than 120 million unique viewers had tuned in to watch Chennai Super Kings beat Gujarat Titans in a dramatic final, with a peak concurrency of 32.1 million.

"It has been a phenomenal success, and largely because of the sheer competitiveness of this year's tournament," Dhumal added.

"Most of the matches went down to the wire and there were plenty of last-over thrillers. We got a phenomenal response from the fans. Our viewership grew manifold and our broadcast and digital partners both are excited.

"Even the in-stadia experience of