IPL versus World Cup

When we talk about World cup, we talk about cricket playing nations being pitted against each other, national fervor, highly charged emotions and patriotism. On the other hand, IPL is a professional league, wherein the concept of clubs and corporatization of cricket comes into the set-up, and thus involves little element of emotions or patriotism.

World Cup has great social appeal because it involves even those in the game who are not avid cricket followers but still watch the match because their nation’s pride is at stake. People are seen going crazy in the stadium painted in their country’s colors. World Cup also involves country’s finest cricketers leading the team towards a common goal and so cricket fans get to see them work together in a do or die fashion and so it becomes popular amongst cricket enthusiasts. In fact, in India, we experience unofficial ‘Bharat Bandh ’ when a match like India vs. Pakistan is held. Heavy viewership during World Cup matches attracts the sponsorship from mega brands and corporate houses because it provides the right exposure and visibility to them. But, World cup is primarily sports and then business or anything else. Usually only big brands or the brands that can afford such expensive but short slots get to advertise themselves.

IPL, conversely, is more of business, and so even small brands get a platform to gain exposure and visibility. It has introduced the new concept of clubs, cheer leaders and players from different countries coming together in one team which makes it more popular. But even though TRP maybe high for IPL because of the entertainment factor, nothing can compare the kind of viewership for India vs. Pakistan match in world cup or for every time when India made it to the finals in the same. But then, it has less of social appeal because it is pure entertainment masaala and less about emotions or patriotism. 

Conclusively, I think, IPL is a successful venture by the BCCI and has become popular but not as popular as the matches that are played between countries with long history of rivalry in the cricket world. Also, IPL is not as socially binding as the World Cup because of the lack of feeling of patriotism to it. But IPL definitely is all about business and so has more marketing appeal to it than the World Cup. Both the formats are liked by some and disliked by others.