IPL Needs 12-16 Week Season To Compete With NFL, NBA: Punjab Kings Co-Owner
Last Updated:
Punjab Kings co-owner Mohit Burman feels a 12–16-week IPL season will boost the tournament's brand value, rivaling the NFL and NBA.
The Indian Premier League (IPL) requires a 12–16-week operating window to rival the brand value of leading global sports leagues like the NFL, NBA, and Premier League, according to Punjab Kings co-owner Mohit Burman.
With a per-match value of USD 16.8 million, the IPL ranks second only to the NFL (USD 36.8 million). However, it still trails its global competitors in overall brand value. According to investment bank Houlihan Lokey, the IPL is valued at approximately USD 16 billion. By comparison, a single NFL franchise, the Dallas Cowboys, is worth USD 9 billion, followed by the New York Yankees at USD 7.1 billion. The NBA's New York Knicks are valued at USD 7 billion, while leading football clubs Real Madrid and Manchester United each hold a valuation of USD 6 billion.
The longer operating windows of the Premier League (August to May), NBA (seven months), and NFL (4.5 months) contribute to their higher valuations compared to the current eight-week IPL season.
In an interview with PTI, Burman discussed the future of the IPL and the remarkable turnaround of Punjab Kings, who reached the final after 11 years.
'We're already second in the world when it comes to per-match value, just behind the NFL. But overall brand value? That's a different game. I think we need a 12-16-week window to get there," said Burman.
'That gives us space to tell better stories, build rivalries, and create more value for everyone – fans, sponsors, broadcasters. But it's not just about length. It's about what we do in that time – the kind of content we push out, how we engage fans year-round, how we build the league beyond the season. IPL has the scale. Now it's about consistency and depth."
'The IPL is already the biggest cricket product in the world, but staying there means not taking anything for granted. Player availability is crucial. We need a clean window where the best in the world can play without restrictions," said the 56-year-old businessman.
'The fan experience must keep evolving. It's not just about cricket anymore — its sport, entertainment, culture all rolled into one. We don't need to take the IPL abroad — what we do need is to build global relevance. Content, players, and stories that connect with fans across the world."
Burman also supports the strategic move of IPL owners investing in overseas leagues. Alongside Punjab Kings, he and other co-owners have invested in the Saint Lucia franchise of the Caribbean Premier League. Other IPL teams have expanded their ownership in multiple leagues, including SA20, ILT20, MLC, CPL, and The Hundred.
'It's a smart and strategic move. A lot of teams are now building a common core — with shared vision, systems, and values — across multiple leagues. That's what makes it sustainable and scalable," he said when asked about the trend of IPL teams expanding overseas .
'For us, the goal is clear: build the Kings ecosystem across geographies and formats. Whether it's IPL or CPL, we want to run our teams with the same purpose — high performance, strong culture, and deeper fan connection. We're not just creating teams — we're building a brand that travels. And this is just the beginning," he said.
Financially, the IPL and its franchises have seen significant growth since the league's inception in 2008.
'They go hand in hand. Strong on-field performances drive commercial growth — that's the reality. Brands want to be part of winning stories. We've seen that this year — we're up 25% year-on-year commercially.
'More fan engagement, stronger sponsor interest, and better value across the board. This season proves that when your on-field and off-field stories align — that's where the real magic happens," he said.
The turning point for Punjab Kings came with the appointment of Ricky Ponting, which transformed the team's energy and mindset.
'The real turning point came when we took a step back to think the direction of the franchise. Getting Ricky Ponting on board was the first step in our revamp. His arrival transformed the energy — and the mindset," said Burman.
'Then came the auction, where we made strategic choice on balance, clarity, and intent. Backing Shreyas as captain was another big moment — he brought composure, vision, and a sense of Unity.
'They didn't just see Punjab Kings as a franchise. They saw it as a project with potential. There's no hierarchy here — just one team, moving toward one goal. That's a powerful thing.
'Off the field, we rewired everything — from marketing and storytelling to fan engagement. Commercially, we've seen strong growth. But what I'm most proud of is the culture — one rooted in belief, joy, and accountability. That's been the true foundation of the success," he added.
(With inputs from PTI)
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Hindustan Times
29 minutes ago
- Hindustan Times
Pat Cummins mocked with a cheeky dig by English TV presenter ahead of WTC Final: ‘Do you ever get anyone out?'
Australia captain Pat Cummins appears to be in a bit of relaxed mode as he gears up for the World Test Championship Final against South Africa in England. The Australian skipper recently wrapped up his stint with Sunrisers Hyderabad in the IPL before heading to England for the high-stakes WTC final. After reaching there, Cummins got involved in some off-field commitments. Recently, he shot a fun segment with famous English TV presenter Jeremy Clarkson and other TV personalities Kaleb Cooper and Charlie Ireland. A video of Prime Video went viral, showing Cummins playing cricket with the other three ahead of the WTC final in London. At the start of the video, Cummins gets hit for a few shots, which causes Clarksen to take a shot at him. "Do you ever get anyone out?" he said. A post shared by Prime Video Sport AUNZ (@primevideosportaunz) However, he didn't age well for Cooper, who was batting at the moment, as Cummins got the better of him and cleaned him up on the very next delivery. Cooper shouted at Clarksen and said, "Why did you do that?" Cummins will lead the Australian team in their second successive WTC final. He led them to the title win in the last edition after the win over India. Meanwhile, South Africa will be playing their maiden WTC final after they topped the standings of the third edition of the ICC tournament. Cummins showered praise on the Proteas and believes the Temba Bavuma-led side has multiple match-winners in their midst to pose a challenge. "They always seem to compete in every tournament. They have got a lot of experience, especially the white-ball teams - they play across different franchise leagues. Rabada, Maharaj, Bavuma, they have played a lot of cricket over the years," said the Aussie skipper. "They have really good fast bowlers, they always seem to have not just one or two main guys but they have got four-six guys they can call," he said. The Aussie captain asserted that there is a bit of mystique when they face South Africa, as they haven't played much against them as compared to India. "And yeah, some batters, you have not seen much (of them), but they have scored plenty of domestic runs. (We have) played most of the guys in the squad, certainly not everyone. There is always a little bit of mystique around South Africa, because we do not play them as often as, say India," he concluded.
Time of India
44 minutes ago
- Time of India
Tata Steel aims to commission UK electric arc furnace project by 2027
Homegrown Tata Steel is expecting to start the construction of its low-carbon EAF-based steel making project in the UK from July 2025 and commence operations by 2027, top company officials said. The company has received necessary approvals for its USD 1.5 billion project at Port Talbot, Tata Steel CEO & MD T V Narendran, and ED & CFO Koushik Chatterjee said in the company's annual report for FY2024-25. "We are now transitioning to decarbonised and state-of-the-art EAF-based steelmaking by FY2027-28, supported by 500 million pounds in the UK Government funding," the management said. They said that planning approval has been received for the EAF ( electric arc furnace ) project at Port Talbot and the construction is expected to commence in July 2025. The company's upstream operations in the UK have been shut down and Tata Steel is using substrate from India and Netherlands operations to service existing customers in the UK. Live Events "We have exited from steelmaking through the end-of-life heavy end assets in Port Talbot, and moved to a downstream model using imported substrate from India, the Netherlands and other external sources," an official said. Speaking further on the UK plan, the officials said the structural transition is also accompanied by a significant focus on cost rationalisation as the company plans to bring down its fixed costs further from 762 million pounds in FY25 to 540 million pounds in the coming year. Tata Steel Chairman N Chandrasekaran "company is on track on its transition to low-emission steelmaking. The decommissioning of two blast furnaces at Port Talbot, has cleared the way for the next-generation Electric Arc Furnace (EAF) project, supported by the UK government". The reductions are based on optimising substrate costs, modernising IT infrastructure, rationalising downstream operations and eliminating corporate overheads. As part of its efforts to reduce carbon emissions, the company is transitioning from the blast furnace route to the low-emission electric arc furnace process, which will utilise the locally available scrap. By 2027, the EAF is expected to be fully operational, with the capacity to produce 3.2 million tonnes of low-emission steel annually. The EAF-based steelmaking project is expected to reduce over 50 million tonnes of Co2 in the next decade.
Economic Times
an hour ago
- Economic Times
Who is Vijay Mallya's adopted daughter Laila? Check her education, career
Early Life and Education Career Path: From IPL Assistant to Jewellery Designer Family and Personal Life Vijay Mallya, once a celebrated businessman known for Kingfisher and luxury brands, has kept much of his family life private, especially regarding his adopted daughter, Laila Mallya . Unlike her father, whose life has often been in the public eye due to business controversies, Laila has maintained a relatively low profile, focusing on her education and creative Mallya, originally born as Laila Mahmood, is the daughter of Rekha Mallya from her first marriage to Shahid Mahmood. When Rekha married Vijay Mallya in 1993, he adopted Laila, legally making her part of the Mallya family. This adoption came at a time when both Vijay and Rekha were entering their second marriages. Following the adoption, Laila officially took on the Mallya surname and was raised in the family's high-profile education reflects her international upbringing and interest in business and fashion. She completed her schooling at Mallya Aditi International School in Bengaluru, a reputed institution known for its global curriculum. She then pursued undergraduate studies in International Business at Bentley University, located in Waltham, Massachusetts. Later, Laila refined her creative skills at the Fashion Institute of Technology in New York City, focusing on fashion 2009, Laila worked as an executive assistant to Lalit Modi, the founder and former commissioner of the Indian Premier League (IPL). This role provided her early exposure to sports management and event organization, though she parted ways with this position following the IPL controversies involving away from the world of sports administration, Laila returned to her passion for design and creativity. She worked with the fashion magazine Vogue India, contributing her styling and jewellery designing talents. Building on this experience, she launched her own jewellery label called Social Butterfly. Known for combining traditional Indian aesthetics with modern designs, her jewellery gained recognition in Bengaluru's fashion circles. Her pieces were retailed through Kahawa, a boutique store in Bangalore. Laila also participates in fashion week events, though she prefers to maintain privacy regarding her personal being part of a media-covered family, Laila has always valued privacy. She shares a close bond with her biological brother Kabir Mahmood, and also with her half-siblings from Vijay and Rekha's marriage—Leanna and Tanya Mallya. Additionally, she is step-sister to Sidharth Mallya, Vijay's son from his first marriage to Sameera 2011, Laila married Samar Singh, an investment banker, in a private ceremony in Bali, Indonesia. The wedding was an intimate affair, with only close friends and family in attendance. Samar Singh himself is a low-profile figure but is known to be close to politician Parth Pawar. In 2019, he contributed to Parth's Lok Sabha election campaign, handling parts of the marketing associated with a high-profile family, Laila Mallya has never been involved in any of the controversies surrounding Vijay Mallya.
