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Indian school launches 
IPL-type show

Modelled along the lines of the IPL, it is a sporting extravaganza with a difference, but with all the ingredients of the IPL masala minus the controversies surrounding the real thing, and of course, there is no Lalit Modi!

Christened as ISB Super League (ISL), the experiment is a virtual replica of IPL, complete with franchises, bids, prize money and sponsors.

The only difference that sets ISL apart from IPL is in its execution – complete transparency is the mantra, something that BCCI could learn from.

The students bid for the four franchise teams with the total bid value amounting to Rs6.30 lakh.

The ISB Board had fixed the upper limit for the bid amount. Students who became owners with each team having five to eight owners made the bids.

The individual players of each franchise were also auctioned but for “virtual money.”

Over 570 students, 3000 alumni, staff and their spouses were involved in the exercise with everyone cheering their favorite teams.

Says ISB dean Ajit Rangnekar: “The student-owners will gain real expertise in sports management. It is a great opportunity to network with fellow students, faculty and alumni and a live experience in brand building and promotions.

“We believe ISL presents the ISB community and its sponsoring partners to be involved in fun, sports and above all, the true ISB spirit of excellence.”

ISL teams will have different dress colour codes. The next three months will see action-packed sporting events at the ISB campus with teams slugging it out for top honours which include “Best Franchise” trophy and cash prizes.

Besides cricket, the student teams will also vie for honours in eight sporting events including badminton, tennis, volleyball, basketball, table tennis and water polo. Ace shuttler Pullela Gopichand was the star attraction at the inauguration of the ISL tournament.

“This experiment will provide the ISB community an opportunity to gain complete sports management experience, team building and better networking,” says Siddarth Malhotra, Student Director (Marketing and Communications) of the Graduate Student Board.

Accenture, a leading global management consultancy and technology services company, came forward to sponsor the ISL title while Red Bull is the energy sponsor for the tournament.

The owners of each team will reach out to sponsors and get a first-hand experience in building an organisation, marketing, finance and branding.

Team owners will have a say in selection of players, fixing incentives for players, team logo, merchandise and sponsorships.

The winning team will walk away with 60 per cent of the prize money, which has been accrued, from the bids. The runner-up will get 35 per cent and the balance will go towards organising the tournament.