The BCCI on Monday announced two new IPL teams, namely Ahmedabad and Lucknow, who will be competing with the existing eight franchises, for the title next year onward. The bidding process for the two new Indian Premier League (IPL) franchises began on Monday in Dubai with ten parties submitting their bids to own a team at one of the six cities — Ahmedabad, Lucknow, Cuttack, Dharamsala, Guwahati and Indore. Among the high-profile bidders to put their name in the hat, directly or through consortiums, were the owners of Premier League club Manchester United, the Adani Group, Torrent Pharmaceuticals, Hindustan Media Ventures Pvt Ltd, RP-Sanjiv Goenka Group, Capri Global and one Singapore based Irelia Company Pte Limited.
The agency that once represented the former India captain MS Dhoni, Rhiti Sports Management, has bid for one of the two new IPL teams. According to Cricbuzz, all the parties have been asked to submit two envelopes — one for personal and financial credentials and the second for the bid. The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has said its legal and audit officials would first check the credentials and only after they are in order, will the second envelope, containing the bid, would be opened. RPS Goenka group bagged the Lucknow-based franchise for its highest bid at ₹7,000 crore, according to a PTI report. BCCI is expected to earn ₹5,000-7,000 crore from the sale of the two new IPL teams. Before 2022, the 2010 edition of the IPL also featured 10 teams, with Pune Warriors India and Kochi Tuskers Kerala joining the tournament before both franchises were terminated. The BCCI is adding two new teams after six years. In 2015, it added two teams - Rising Pune Supergiants and Gujarat Lions - for the 2016 and 2017 editions as replacements for the then suspended Chennai Super Kings and Rajasthan Royals teams.
