The eagerly anticipated meeting between the Indian Premier League (IPL) team owners and the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) is set to occur at the end of this month. Insiders from the IPL have revealed that the BCCI has requested owners to be available for a meeting likely on July 30 or 31, although the exact date is yet to be confirmed.
Unlike previous meetings usually held in five-star hotels, this meeting is expected to take place at the newly refurbished BCCI office inside the Wankhede Stadium complex in Mumbai.
Main Agenda: Player Retentions
A major topic on the agenda will be player retentions. Opinions differ on the number of retentions allowed per franchise. Some argue for a higher number, up to eight, emphasizing the importance of continuity for fan engagement and brand building, given that most franchises have been around for over 17 years. They believe that retaining key players is crucial for maintaining the franchise’s identity and loyalty among fans.
On the other hand, some franchises advocate for minimal retentions. Additionally, there will be discussions about whether to include a Right to Match (RTM) option in the mega-auction. The BCCI has already gathered opinions from the franchises on these critical issues, with IPL CEO Hemang Amin meeting representatives either by visiting their headquarters or inviting them to the BCCI office earlier this month.
Salary Cap and Retention Values
Another key topic will be the salary cap, which is expected to be around INR 120 crore for the first year of the next three-year cycle. This will also bring up the discussion of the retention value for each player. In the past, the salary of the top-retained player was around 16-17% of the salary cap (INR 15 crore in a salary cap of INR 90 crore).
If the same principle is applied this time, the salary for the top-retained player could be around or slightly over INR 20 crore. However, this is still speculative, and the BCCI is expected to explain the formula for determining the salary of retained players during the meeting.
This meeting promises to be a significant one, setting the stage for the future of the IPL and addressing key issues that will shape the upcoming seasons.