Latest news with #Dhumal
Hindustan Times
9 hours ago
- Sport
- Hindustan Times
'How can BCCI be held responsible?': IPL chairman says board had 'no control' as stampede hits RCB's Bengaluru event
The BCCI has clarified that it had no role in organising the Royal Challengers Bengaluru's (RCB) post-title celebration in the city, which turned tragic after a stampede outside the venue left at least 11 people dead and nearly 50 injured. RCB's victory in IPL 2025 ended an 18-year drought and brought the city to a standstill. Thousands of fans gathered outside the M Chinnaswamy Stadium to celebrate the historic win, but the sheer volume of the crowd overwhelmed the arrangements, leading to chaos and fatalities. The event, however, continued inside the packed stadium despite the tragedy unfolding just outside. IPL Chairman Arun Dhumal expressed deep sorrow over the incident but was firm in stating that the BCCI could not be held accountable. 'It is sad and tragic. The celebrations turned into a tragedy. Our heartfelt condolences go to the families who lost their loved ones. For the BCCI, the IPL concluded last night. We had no knowledge of such an incident occurring, so how can we be held responsible for it?' Dhumal told India Today. He also pointed out the lack of involvement or presence of IPL officials during the event. 'How can we be held responsible for something like this? It is indeed a very tragic incident, and we extend our deepest condolences. But we cannot be held accountable for something over which we had no control. I am not certain if the stampede occurred directly outside the stadium—I have no specific knowledge of that. Have you seen any IPL officials present at the gate, managing the crowd or facilitating the players' entry?' asked Dhumal. Dhumal revealed that upon learning of the incident, he contacted RCB officials and asked for the event to be wrapped up. "Have I been in touch with RCB officials? Yes, as soon as I was informed about the incident, I spoke to them. They told me they were inside the stadium and had no knowledge of what was happening outside. Based on that conversation, I was told they immediately called off the event," Dhumal added. Earlier, BCCI secretary Devajit Saikia had also issued a response on the tragedy. 'I think there were some lapses. The BCCI has no role in it. But it's a lesson to learn. We will look into forming new rules for such victory celebrations going forward,' Saikia had said.
Time of India
17 hours ago
- Business
- Time of India
IPL 18: High viewership numbers defy mid-tournament pause
Live Events (You can now subscribe to our (You can now subscribe to our Economic Times WhatsApp channel Mumbai: The 18th edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL) has reaffirmed the tournament's status as one of the most-watched leagues in the world, despite a loss in momentum caused by a week-long suspension that temporarily disrupted the flow of the event, according to industry event concluded on June 3 with Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) clinching their maiden 18 was a landmark season, with the final match between RCB and Punjab Kings (PBKS) drawing 600 million peak views on digital. JioHotstar, the official streaming partner of the IPL, has been displaying cumulative views for a live match instead of peak concurrent viewers, which was the norm must be noted that unlike peak concurrent users-which indicate the number of unique viewers watching a match at a specific moment-cumulative views reflect duplicated reach, as they count multiple sessions by the same the final match, the tournament attracted an audience of 450 million each on both TV and digital platforms, according to the official broadcaster JioStar-formed after the merger of Star India and Viacom18. The broadcaster was eyeing a cumulative reach of one billion viewers across TV and digital from the full the first time, the season marked a key shift both as TV and digital rights were consolidated under one broadcaster after two years of rivalry between Star and a recent interaction with ET, IPL chairman Arun Dhumal said the tournament's viewership was on course to achieve record numbers despite the blip after the week-long suspension. He also noted that the broadcaster was on course to reach 500 million broadcast audiences. "We are attracting new audiences through regional commentary. There has been a growth in female and kids' viewership for the IPL. We are also finding traction in overseas markets," Dhumal believe that RCB's victory marks a refreshing shift in the league's competitive landscape, breaking the long-standing dominance of Chennai Super Kings, Mumbai Indians, and Kolkata Knight Riders, who have collectively won 13 of the previous 18 editions."A notable development this IPL season was the qualification of two long-standing teams, RCB and PBKS, for the final - with RCB securing their first-ever title. However, the momentum of the tournament was somewhat affected by the week-long suspension due to geopolitical tensions, which led to a dip in viewership and a noticeable decline in advertiser presence during the final stages," said Ajimon Francis, MD, Brand Finance BCCI suspended the tournament on May 9 for a week due to the India-Pakistan military conflict. The remainder of the tournament, comprising 17 matches, resumed on May 17 and concluded with the final on June a billion dollars in ad revenue was generated across TV, digital, on-ground, and franchise sponsorships, underscoring its vast business N, managing partner at D and P Advisory, said that despite the temporary suspension, the IPL remains India's leading media property, with robust viewership across both television and digital added that this season contributed to the strengthening of several team brands, driven by improved on-field performance and team cohesion."RCB is likely to see a moderate increase in brand value, supported by prize money and consistent presence among the top franchises. Punjab Kings, having historically remained lower on the brand value charts, may experience a significant uplift following their strong performance. In contrast, established teams like CSK and KKR could see a slight decline in brand value due to early exits and underwhelming campaigns," he also highlighted the rise of uncapped Indian players like Sai Sudharsan and Vaibhav Suryavanshi, which helped reduce franchise dependence on marquee international stars."This shift bodes well for the league's future, as emerging local talent resonates more with younger audiences-an important demographic for long-term growth," he notable trend was the growing preference for Indian captains, even those not currently part of the national team. "Franchises are recognising that local leaders often connect better with regional fans and sponsors than high-profile overseas players," Santosh said.
India Today
17 hours ago
- General
- India Today
Bengaluru stampede tragic, RCB celebration not a BCCI event: IPL chairman Arun Dhumal
IPL Chairman Arun Dhumal clarified that although the stampede during Royal Challengers Bengaluru's (RCB) victory celebration in Bengaluru was tragic, the event was not organised by the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI). He added that the IPL had officially concluded last night with RCB's win, and since the BCCI had no control or prior knowledge of the incident, it cannot be held city's celebratory mood turned somber just 24 hours after RCB ended their 18-year wait for an IPL title. Lakhs of fans swarmed the stadium, overwhelming security and triggering chaos, as a stampede outside the venue claimed at least 11 lives and left nearly 50 injured. However, despite the tragedy, the felicitation event continued inside a packed stadium."It is sad and tragic. The celebrations turned into a tragedy. Our heartfelt condolences go to the families who lost their loved ones. For the BCCI, the IPL concluded last night. We had no knowledge of such an incident occurring, so how can we be held responsible for it?" Dhumal told India Today. "How can we be held responsible for something like this? It is indeed a very tragic incident, and we extend our deepest condolences. But we cannot be held accountable for something over which we had no control. I am not certain if the stampede occurred directly outside the stadium-I have no specific knowledge of that. Have you seen any IPL officials present at the gate, managing the crowd or facilitating the players' entry?"advertisementMeanwhile, the IPL chairman said that as soon as he was made aware of the tragedy unfolding outside the stadium, he instructed the organisers to wrap up the proceedings."As the IPL chairman, I can only speak for the league. RCB is a franchise and, while part of the IPL ecosystem, I have no knowledge about whether they were invited by someone or arrived on their own for the felicitation. Who called them? Who was responsible for facilitating them? These are questions the local administration must investigate. They need to identify what went wrong and ensure such incidents never happen again."Have I been in touch with RCB officials? Yes, as soon as I was informed about the incident, I spoke to them. They told me they were inside the stadium and had no knowledge of what was happening outside. Based on that conversation, I was told they immediately called off the event," Dhumal secretary Devajit Saikia termed the Bengaluru stampede "very unfortunate" and said that the celebrations following RCB's IPL triumph should have been better planned."It's very unfortunate what has happened," Saikia told India Today."I think there were some lapses. The BCCI has no role in it. But it's a lesson to learn. We will look into forming new rules for such victory celebrations going forward," he added, pointing out that the event should have been planned better. You May Also Like
Time of India
19 hours ago
- General
- Time of India
Tragedy mars RCB's IPL title celebrations: BCCI questions organisers who were caught off guard by huge crowd
AP Photo NEW DELHI: At least eight are feared dead and over 40 were injured after a stampede broke out outside the Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru on Wednesday. Royal Challengers Bengaluru had planned their IPL 2025 victory celebrations but things got out of control shortly before the event was due to begin inside the stadium. Around 5pm, multiple reports of injuries and deaths emerged from outside the stadium but the programme continued as planned. It is understood that Indian Premier League (IPL) Governing Council Chairman Arun Dhumal had to call up the franchise, who were unaware of the events which unfolded outside the venue. Dhumal was assured that the event will be wrapped up quickly inside the stadium but the damage was already done outside it. Go Beyond The Boundary with our YouTube channel. SUBSCRIBE NOW! Even after getting a call from the IPL chair, why wasn't the event wrapped up? reached out to RCB for a comment on the unfortunate incident but they are yet to respond. 'A particularly special feeling': Andy Flower hails Virat Kohli, RCB after historic title win In what was a clear case of poor planning, a lot of innocent lives were lost and panic gripped the city which was in the mood to celebrate RCB's maiden IPL title. has reliably learnt that the event management company DNA was only asked to ensure the sound and stage arrangements inside the stadium. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Our one of a kind Patented Cold Water Extraction Process Superior Ginseng Undo Clearly there was a lack of preparedness and a sudden influx of people overwhelmed the security personnel stationed outside the cricket ground. Additionally, there was a lot of confusion regarding the team's open bus parade with the IPL title and the situation could have gotten much worse had it happened. Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) Secretary Davajit Saikia termed the incident "unfortunate" and felt the organisers should have done better. "It is very unfortunate. This is a negative side of popularity. People are crazy for their cricketers. The organisers should have planned it better. My deepest condolences to the family of the deceased. I wish early recovery of the injured," said Saikia in an interaction with PTI. "When one organises a victory celebration of this magnitude, proper precautions, safety and security measures need to be taken. There have been some lapses somewhere. After such a glorious ending to the IPL, this has been an anti climax. There have been IPL celebrations in the past as well, like in Kolkata last year when KKR won but nothing happened there," he added. There have been plenty of celebrations in the country in the past but did the authorities not get adequate time to be prepared for an event of this magnitude? Could there have been a better way to go about this? Who exactly is at fault? The event management company, the franchise, the government? There are plenty of questions but no answers at the moment.
Time of India
3 days ago
- Business
- Time of India
IPL chairman Arun Dhumal wants cricket to revolve around its big star
Live Events (You can now subscribe to our (You can now subscribe to our Economic Times WhatsApp channel Mumbai: It may be time for the International Cricket Council (ICC) to rethink its calendar and give T20 leagues precedence over bilateral series , which are losing steam with fans and sponsors alike, Indian Premier League (IPL) chairman Arun Dhumal has said."Cricket is shifting its flavour towards franchise-based formats. If that is the case, we have to prepare ourselves for that situation," Dhumal told ET in an interaction. "So, if that has to happen, the entire scheduling needs to be aligned around these T20 leagues-be it the IPL, Big Bash League, The Hundred, SA20, MLC, or ILT20. At some point, we may need to sit around the table with all stakeholders and decide what should be prioritised."The T20 format has not only reignited interest in One-Day Internationals (ODIs) and Test matches but has also played a key role in expanding cricket's footprint to emerging markets such as the United States and Europe, Dhumal noted."Based on what weather conditions work best for each country, you schedule your leagues accordingly and then plan the bilateral series around them," he the International Cricket Council's (ICC) Future Tours Programme (FTP) is structured around bilateral Tests, ODIs, and ICC events, with the IPL being the only T20 league to have a dedicated are multiple T20 leagues including Australia's Big Bash League, South Africa's SA20, the England and Wales Cricket Board's The Hundred, the UAE's International League T20, and the Caribbean Premier League. Most of these leagues are inspired by the IPL and have IPL team owners-such as Reliance , GMR, and Sun TV Network-owning teams."The IPL is the number one 'Make in India' property post-Independence," Dhumal Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), which owns the IPL, sold the league's media rights for ₹48,390 crore for 2023-27 proposed expansion of IPL to an 84-match format will depend on the availability of a suitable window in the international calendar, Dhumal said. For IPL 2025, the tournament has retained the 74-match format to manage player workload and accommodate a packed FTP schedule."There is no point in adding new teams to the IPL when we are not yet able to optimise the existing structure with 10 teams," he to Dhumal, IPL's current April-May window is becoming tricky to manage due to shifting weather patterns-the Southwest monsoon arrived almost two weeks early this year. But advancing the event is also challenging as the FTP has been finalised until 2027 and media rights deals have already been signed based on that is the driver of the global cricket economy, with the ICC generating over 70% of its revenue from the Indian IPL chairman noted that other ICC member boards are struggling to sell media rights for bilateral series and have been requesting the BCCI to play such series to help boost their said IPL viewership continues to remain strong on TV and digital platforms, despite a one-week suspension caused by the India-Pakistan conflict, which disrupted the tournament's momentum.
