"There are 3 markers that decide whether a tournament will be successful or not" - Aakash Chopra on the massive bids for WPL teams

Aakash Chopra believes the Women's Premier League (WPL) has met all three parameters that are required for a tournament to be successful.

The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) declared the winning bids for the five WPL franchises on Wednesday, January 25. The five teams were bought for a total sum of ₹4669.99 crore, with the Ahmedabad franchise being acquired for a whopping ₹1289 crore.

In a video shared on his YouTube channel, Chopra opined that three factors define a tournament's success, saying:

"The Women's Premier League (WPL) is here. It is a historic day not only for cricket but for Indian sports. In my opinion, there are three markers that decide whether a tournament will be successful or not."

Chopra pointed out that the massive turnout for the T20Is between India and Australia at the DY Patil Stadium was an indication of the spectator interest in the women's game, elaborating:

"I saw the first marker in the DY Patil Stadium where 45,000 people came to watch the India-Australia match. I am saying you can make it a free entry and give prizes as well, still 45,000 people will not come to watch unless you have some attachment to that thing. So that was a very big marker that people want to watch this cricket."

The former Indian opener added that the WPL has also already passed the broadcaster test, explaining:

"The second thing was when Viacom bought the rights for ₹951 crore, which means every match is more than ₹7 crore. So it's nearly a million dollars a game. If we talk about the franchise cricket universe - IPL is the most expensive and second is not BBL, CPL, PSL, BPL or The Hundred, but the WPL."

Chopra highlighted that the development implies that the broadcaster has realized that there is a lot of potential in the women's game and that they should invest in it.

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"The third marker is what the industry says" - Aakash Chopra

The Mumbai Indians were the most expensive IPL franchise. [P/C: iplt20.com]

Chopra pointed out that the industry has also given ample proof of its interest in the league, reasoning:

"The third marker is what the industry says. The first franchise was sold for ₹1200 crore, the Ahmedabad franchise that Adani bought. The lowest bid is also ₹750 crore. So the industry has realized that this property has potential."

The reputed commentator highlighted that the Ahmedabad franchise is more expensive than what the Mumbai Indians (MI) were initially bought for, even considering the different dollar-rupee conversion rates, observing:

"Just to give you a perspective, when the IPL teams were sold 15 years ago, Mumbai Indians bought their team for 111 million dollars - a dollar was worth 40 rupees, so they could get the team for ₹400-450 crore. The dollar is worth 80 rupees now but the first bid is ₹1200 crore. Isn't that a difference?"

Chopra concluded by saying that the world's most powerful cricket board had a moral obligation to have the women also be a part of it. He added that it was a red-letter day and that a revolution is about to happen.