The Indian Premier League's reign as cricket's most lucrative gift horse faces its first serious threat as Saudi Arabia prepares to launch a rival cricket league backed by hundreds of millions of dollars.
According to a report in The Telegraph, Saudi Arabia's SRJ Sports Investments is planning an ambitious new competition featuring eight teams competing in four tournaments annually across multiple locations, including Australia.
With a jaw-dropping £400 million ($500 million) investment planned, the league threatens to redraw cricket's global map by luring the sport's biggest stars with unprecedented paychecks.
This could seriously disrupt India's tight control over cricket's purse strings. It's just the latest move in Saudi Arabia's sports shopping spree, which has already shaken up football, Formula 1, and golf with ventures like LIV.
Cricket is simply the next target on their list.
Saudi Arabia tipped its hand last year by hosting the IPL auction in Jeddah – a subtle but clear statement of intent. If this T20 venture materializes, it would represent the largest financial injection into cricket outside the IPL's strong financial ecosystem.
They are planning something similar to tennis Grand Slams, with matches played across different countries. Since Saudi doesn't have much cricket infrastructure yet, they will probably host games alongside Australia or other cricket nations.
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The IPL has ruled the roost since 2008, drawing the biggest crowds and paying the fattest salaries in domestic cricket. Nobody has come close to challenging it.
But Saudi money could change all that by throwing even bigger paychecks at star players. While IPL teams can only field four international players per match, it is unclear what rules the Saudi league might play by. If the ICC gives them the green light, they could play more overseas talent in each match.
The Telegraph reports that Cricket Australia is already in discussions with Saudi authorities, eager to participate in this potentially transformative venture.
There are plenty of roadblocks ahead. They will need ICC approval and somehow have to find room in cricket's jam-packed schedule. Avoiding IPL clashes while still pulling in top talent won't be easy.
Plus, Saudi Arabia has zero cricket grounds worth mentioning and basically no local players. They would have to rely entirely on foreign stars, and unless rules change to allow more overseas players per team, they might not match the IPL's star power.
But if they pull it off, Saudi cash could completely rewire cricket's power structure. It might open doors for players and smaller cricket nations, though purists will worry about Test cricket getting pushed further to the margins, and another reality is: after ten years without a real rival, the IPL finally has something to worry about.