All of us have a point of view on the ratings that the IPL V is generating. Some of us, like me, are clearly cynical about the ratings where as some media buyers are comfortable as they believe that the absolutes are going up. Also such high ratings for 5 years in a row are good. The advertiser in me is not convinced because we look for the quintessential Cost per rating point. The fact is that yesterday on 26th April 2012 in one strategic break there was no paid commercial on Set MAX. Seems like advertisers are not amused as to the way IPL is going.
Are the rating poor or not is not the moot point. The issue is also about the management view point. I guess I am too used to the business TV where every quarter the top management comes on air and gives their view on way forward. I recently heard Sri Sri (he has wrested this title from LKM) Rajiv Shuklaji say that “aal iz well” on the IPL front. It did remind me of Aamir but did not inspire the same confidence that I got watching 3 Idiots. Sri Sri Shuklaji’s words seemed hollow. The complacency is disturbing.
I have been wanting to write a blog on IPL 5 for some time. The final trigger came last night when I was watching the match between DC and PWI with my son. He still has not come to terms with Sanga playing for DC (not KXIP) or Yuvi cheering for PWI (not KXIP). He told me (as I am not a football fan) that such drastic changes don’t happen in football and they don’t happen so often. So, the team’s identity and recognition is strong. He has a point. I had covered this issue in my blog last year as well. (read: Why IPL is such a bore this year).
We all understand that the auctions happened in 2011 because of 2 new teams and therefore the mess. What happened after that? The Kochi team went out and there was fresh auction and there were transfers as well. Murali has moved from CSK to KTK to RCB. Jadeja moved from RR to KTK to CSK. Pietersen moved from RCB to DC to DD. If these were the only changes most of the fans would have accepted them. But the list of the changes included big names like Mahela, Hodge, McCullum, Owais Shah, Parthiv and on and on.
Whilst the fans were grappling with these changes there is more of uncertainty added because of addition of players in the middle of the tournament. SL and England series got over and a lot of players landed up after one week or more. And next week we will see even more big names like Warner, Watson, Clarke, M Hussey, Harris and Bravo come over after the Aus WI series is over. And not to mention player exits. Malinga and Gilchrist are missing due to injuries and Albie Morkel missing due to personal reasons.
With all this can you identify yourself with the teams? Unless you are V Anand or have a chip fitted in your brain you are going to find it difficult for sure.
Do you find it very exciting to cheer for M Morkel, Pollard, Narine and Cooper. Why these names? These are the top 4 wicket takers in this IPL (till 26th April 2012). Out of top 10 wicket takers this season only 4 bowlers are Indian. And of them only 2 of them have played any meaningful cricket for India, Munaf and Chawla. So, who are you cheering for? Last year there were 7 Indian bowlers in top 10. Dont we as a society believe in hero worship. Who is the hero here? Unsung ones? Foreigners? I dont think that sounds exciting. Indian performance in batting is also poorer this year. 5 in top 10 vs 6 last year. Only 2 known names of Sehwag and Dravid. No SRT, No Kohli, No Raina. In the match that PWI won because of Dada’s bowling, the whole country went berserk in his praise. The same thing doesnt happen when Gayle hits hard. IPL needs Indian Heroes. And the Indian heroes are a tired lot. Not able to hit the big ones or the write length. (for more details on this read: How to kill the Golden hen - the BCCI way)
Finally, this IPL has shown the yawning gap between the international players and domestic ones in application on the field. A Steve Smith, Pollard, Hussey or Duminy bring certain amount of effort on the field which is superior to most Indians incl Raina or Kohli.
So, all these may or may not be acting on the conscious mind but possibly working at the back. Do I have answers for these or am I just raising some questions. I am not too interested in finding the solution because IPL has lost me. I will still watch some matches when I can but I am not dying to watch. I am not driving fast to reach home at 8.
Wish Shuklaji all the very best and hope aal iz well.
All stats given above are till April 26, 2012. IPL being dynamic, the stats change everyday.
Please do post your reactions below this blog. You can also reach me out at @agrawalsanjeev on twitter
Please do post your reactions below this blog. You can also reach me out at @agrawalsanjeev on twitter
My views are as follows:-
ReplyDeletea. I feel for any product from sports domain need to be competitive which leads to entertainment something as long as IPL delivers its good...Currently its clearly delivering on that....The points tally and quality of competition is a clear reflection of that....Hence IPL as a product is still delivering 'competitiveness' as a key functional benefit and 'entertainment' as an emotional benefit....The brand benefit ladder is clear on these two fronts...How far BCCI has defined its essence and how far they have a view on building each team identity is still a question mark...its important for the events long term sustainance...
b. In formats like IPL or Football nationality does not matter, even in spanish league you have foreign players playing and are the heroes not the locals....Because the DNA of clubs is around themselves and not the nation...It changes when we are talking about a world cup which is completely about national sentiments.....However Indian players not doing that well indicates we have poor sportsmen in our country and thats a task of 'BCCI' or Govt...
c. As a business proposition it needs to understand that it not only needs to be a great product but also meaningful to different stakeholders and revenue model, pricing of players and pricing to advertisers need to well thought out and meaningful to everybody....
Currently i feel that's a key void which puts IPL's future in question. There is nothing wrong with the product as its entertaining and scope for improvement from a mktg. standpoint always remains but its business model needs to be well defined where its meaningful to everybody....Today because the TRP's have lost the novelty value of IPL1 and pricing still remains stiff making CPT's or CPRP's less attractive to advertisers and hence possibly less inventory being sold than before....
My conclusion therefore still is that IPL as product is still great and here to stay as long as the owners redefine or revisit the business model and do not make 'GREED' as the core essence of IPL as a brand....