Mumbai: The Board of Control for Cricket in India said on Monday it has re-branded some long-running domestic tournaments, including the national cricket championship for the Ranji Trophy, and has stuck a deal with Nimbus Communications to telecast 32 matches live during the forthcoming season.
“We will have 70 days of domestic cricket live (32 matches) on television and we have re-branded the major domestic cricket events,” said BCCI vice president and marketing committee convener Lalit Modi at a press conference.
Former Board chief I S Bindra admitted that the BCCI had in the past failed to market the domestic cricket as well as its international cricket programme and this initiative was a means to right the wrong.
“I will be the first to admit we have failed to market domestic cricket properly in the past as compared to international cricket,” the Punjab Cricket Association’s president said.
The Board officials said that efforts have been taken to see that the domestic matches that are set to be telecast do not clash with India’s international commitments. “Next year it will be 90 per cent,” said Modi.
As per the re-branding initiative the three teams to play in the Challenger Series for the NKP Salve Trophy season-opening event in Chennai from October 1-4 will be called
India Blues (formerly seniors), India Greens and India Reds (formerly A and B).
The other tournaments that are to be telecast live are Elite division of the Ranji Trophy (9 matches including the semis and the final), Irani Cup (Ranji champions UP vs the Rest of India to be held in Nagpur from October 9-13), Duleep Trophy final in Kolkata (Nov 12-16), and the re-branded Deodhar Trophy (All Star Series for the Deodhar Trophy, 10 matches in all) and the One-Day domestic knock-out tournament re-named as the Premier
Cup (four preliminary ties, plus two semis and final) to be held from March 15-25.
Modi admitted that the All Star Series in March, 2007 would be bereft of the top stars of Indian cricket who would be busy in the World Cup in the West Indies.
“But from next season onwards the situation will be different. In fact there is a clamour from all the state associations that the stars should play in more domestic tournaments and we are moving towards this,” said Modi.