Former IPL commissioner Lalit Modi has taken aim at the BCCI, alleging the board is forfeiting as much as INR 2,400 crore in revenue by not adhering to the tournament structure that was originally promised. His comments came shortly after RCB and RR were each sold for more than USD 1.5 billion apiece, and at a time when Modi said he is pleased with how sharply the league’s franchise values have risen following the combined sale price of roughly INR 31,000 crore. Still, he insisted the current competition format does not match the initial understanding.
In an interview, Modi said the commercial deal is clear on the distribution of earnings from each fixture: “For every match, the BCCI takes 50 per cent, and the remaining 50 per cent is shared with the teams. Because of the way the schedule is being handled now, teams are effectively missing out on 20 games. Since they are paying these fees, it becomes a contractual duty to give them home-and-away fixtures.”
Modi argued that the lack of a complete home-and-away layout has shortened the overall number of matches, which in turn affects both franchise income and total IPL revenue. He claimed the earlier model would have had every side play one another twice, a setup he said would have boosted both on-field intensity and commercial returns.
He also referenced earlier discussions around the league expanding to accommodate two new franchises—Lucknow Super Giants and Gujarat Titans—where it was widely expected that the season would feature 94 matches. However, Modi noted that only 74 matches have been played so far, and he said there is no sign that the schedule will be increased for the next edition in 2027.
“The home-and-away format is where the value lies. If the calendar does not allow it, then don’t expand the number of teams. It is that straightforward. That is not what we sold. Has everyone agreed to this? I’m certain they have not,” Modi added.
Questioning the current format
Modi then went on to challenge the reasoning behind the present scheduling approach. He questioned why matches are not being staged home and away for franchises, saying, “Why aren’t they playing home and away? There are explanations, but it remains a contractual obligation and also a commercial arrangement for the teams.”
He further laid out how the reduced fixture count impacts the board’s top-line. “If, today, there were 94 matches under a home-and-away framework at ₹118 crore per game, then the media rights would be worth an additional ₹2,400 crore. In other words, ₹2,400 crore in extra revenue for the BCCI,” he said.
Modi also explained what that money would have meant for franchises, claiming, “Out of that figure, ₹1,200 crore would have gone to the 10 teams—₹120 crore per team—and team valuations would have risen automatically.”
