A lingering issue for the Indian Premier League (IPL) which was put to rest on Sunday during the Governing Council meeting was Chinese sponsorship, but fans are not happy
"Can you watch IPL with sponsors from the country that killed our soldiers 45 days ago?" this is one of the overwhelming questions doing the rounds of all cricket talks on Monday, a day after the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) decided to retain all its sponsors. (More Cricket News)
What was supposed to be good news for cricket fans, that the Indian Premier League will be held, has become a matter of right or wrong, and about patriotism. As it stands, the world's premier T20 league will be played in the United Arab Emirates in September-November despite the coronavirus pandemic.
But Indian fans, possibly the most vociferous one, are not happy. Not because, there's a real existential crisis thanks to another 'Chinese import' in coronavirus, but for the gleaming sponsors, which no doubt will have more airtime than the cricketers themselves during the 53-day desert carnival.
And the result, #BoycottIPL! Here are some reactions to BCCI's not so popular decision:
For the record, cricket, like any other sport, is a game of money. Money always wins.
Consider this fact - as IPL title sponsor, VIVO pays around Rs 440 crore per year, a five-year deal that ends in 2022. It would have been difficult for the BCCI to get new sponsors at a short notice given the current financially difficult climate.
But who can forget the recent clashes between the Indian and Chinese troops in eastern Ladakh? India lost 20 soldiers in the showdown, causing outrage across the country after which the BCCI had indeed promised to review the deals.
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Now, Chinese sponsors are here to stay.
As former Jammu and Kashmir chief minister, Omar Abdullah said, "Now the Chinese will know.......... what we always suspected that we really can't manage without their sponsorship & advertising."