IPL Chairman Arun Dhumal: Strong Talent Pool will improve franchise-spoiled leagues in India

At Sportstar’s Business of Sports Summit at the Bharat Mandapam in New Delhi on Friday, The Spotlight Fell on How India’s Vast Talent Pool Has Shaped The Country’s Leagues, with CRICT LEADING The WATH COTRYI TEADING The Wait Sports seeking to catch up.

Arun Dhumal, Chairman of the Indian Premier League, set the tone by tracing the tournament’s roots back to India’s seminal cricketing moment. “We think of the IPL starting in 2008. I think that 1983 world cup win was the transforming event that led to the forward integration of players. That flow continued, and the kind of Leadership that the Bcci Had Allowed That To Happen, “He said a panel discussion titled India in a League of its Own – How India Shapes Global Sport, Moderated BYJAYA Kumar, Sports Editor, The Hindu.

For dhumal, the ipl’s strength lies in the conveyor belt of domestic talent. “The Bcci Organies more than 2,000 games a year, which leads to the strong pool. That is what is what other sports need to do, create that talent pool,” he noted.

Anupam Goswami, Business Head of Mashal Sport and League Commissioner of the Pro Kabaddi League, underlined that the challenge for other sports is to scale up competivity struts. “The Amount of Competition, When you go into leagues as a business, the challenge will be to scale up on the ground. My sport has to be live in-painth in ten-pain of compes of competition at the group; Same with almost every other sport, ”He said. “The scale needs to go up. The fans have to be focused on. The level of competition, it has to be the best that the sport offers. And then it has to come togeether in terms of administration.”

For the NBA in India, the focus is firmly on nurturing the grassroots. Rajah Chaudhary, Head of Strategy, Asia PAC & Country Head, India at NBA, Pointed Out that While Basketball is Popular in Schools, The Absence of A Professional Pathawaay has been a Hasle. “We are in a very different situation than most other sports. The nba is niche, but basketball is not, at least in India. It is popular at the school level. Sustainable League in the Country.

Vita Dani (Co -Owner, Chennaiyin FC, Chairperson – Ultimate Table Tennis and Promoter, Dani Sports Foundation) Weighs in. , Photo Credit: Shashi Shekhar Kashyap

Offering a complementary percent, Vita Dani, Chairperson of Ultimate Table Tennis and Co-Owner of Chennaiyin FC, Stressed that the Growth of Indian Sport Depends on Collectative THAN Complete Between disciplines. “For us to be successful, Multiple Sports Have to Co-Exist. Top-Down Approach that the Leagues Bring to the Table.

Making the sport better

Rajah Chaudhary (Head of Strategy, Asia Pacific & Country Head – India, NBA) Feels the Rise of International Players in the NBA has propelled forward not just the league but the game. , Photo Credit: Shashi Shekhar Kashyap

A Well-Establed Sporting League also also often leads to better competition even at the International Level. “When we started the utt six years back, we had just two players in the top 100. Today, we have 13. And this is just with the effort of one person. If we do do this account Would talk a lot more about success and having talent, “Dani said.

Chaudhary and Goswami Pointed Out Institutes of Improvement from their Respective Sports.

“For Pkl, The Challenge was to drive the growth of the sport. Iran has a lot of players featuring in our league.

Chaudhary highlighted How the Rise of International Players in the NBA has propelled forward not just the league but the game across the globe. “The rest of the world has causedt up with the nBA, the wnba and the international level. The us used to be so so dominant, which can be tied back to the nba. Compared to 20-30 years Back, “Chaudhary said.

Building Fanbases

A by-Product of Booming Franchise-Based Leagues has been vibrant fanbases which support support their teams, and Eventually the sport, with passion. IPL leads the race here. “I complete all the franchises for their fan bases. The turnouts at the stadium across the seasons have been. Passion they have shown on the field, and the franchises have done well to be able to hold onto that, ”Dhumal said.

Chennai fans are the best. It does not matter what the sport is, it is a fanbase created with regional affinity, and it will continue to be so. Forward.

Published on Sep 12, 2025