'IPL money is being siphoned off': Lalit Modi's explosive charge against BCCI

Former IPL Commissioner Lalit Modi has said the Indian Premier League (IPL) belongs "only" to fans and alleged that parts of the cricket administration are siphoning off money generated by the tournament. He called for greater investment in fan experience and sports infrastructure.

Speaking on a Humans of Bombay podcast, Modi said the IPL's growth story remains intact but argued that administrators have failed to prioritise the people who drive the league's success.

Asked who the IPL truly belongs to - politicians, businessmen or players - Modi replied, "It belongs to neither of the three. It belongs to the fans and only the fans. Without the fans, there is nothing."

He said the IPL was built on a model that would continue to expand rapidly over the coming years.

"The IPL will continue to double every 3 to four years or 5 years. It'll double; you'll see the numbers double again in the next cycle. We've seen the bids go to $2 billion in this cycle. I can tell you very well that by 2028, it'll be 4 billion for the price of the team. But it could be as high as 6 billion if they bother about their fans. If the BCCI invested in the infrastructure and upgraded it, that is where the money needs to go," Modi said.

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However, he said the league's biggest missed opportunity lies in the match-day experience. "This is something that the BCCI doesn't get. It is the fan experience which is the missing piece of the puzzle today," he said.

Modi alleged that while cricket generates substantial revenues, the money is not always being used to improve infrastructure. "We make thousands and thousands of crores of rupees a year. Tens of thousands of crores of rupees a year. We are a nonprofit organisation. The money gets siphoned off today," he said.

Asked who was responsible, Modi added, "It gets siphoned off by whom? It gets siphoned off not by the BCCI but the BCCI members, the state association, not by all of them - some of them do a great job."

He cited the example of the Gujarat Cricket Association's stadium project, saying it was a positive development but could have gone further.

When asked whether the Narendra Modi Stadium could have been better, Modi said, "If I were there today, I would demolish it and rebuild it completely."

He argued that cricket venues should function as year-round entertainment destinations with modern facilities, restaurants, shopping areas, and better services for spectators.

"The match is 3 hours, plus you go an hour and a half before, 4 and 1/2 hours, 5 hours with young kids at night, hungry. You make it hygienic. You do all of that which is missing, unfortunately," he said.

Modi also criticised what he described as a culture of entitlement around access to IPL matches. Referring to reports that the Karnataka government was seeking complimentary tickets for games, he questioned why politicians and officials should receive preferential treatment.

"Today, it's horrific to hear that the Karnataka state government is demanding 10,000 tickets to an IPL game for free. Why? Why does it entitle them?" he said.

He added, "The fans are the ones that need to be respected. They don't need to be lathi charged. They don't need to be water cannoned."

According to Modi, fans ultimately sustain the IPL ecosystem through ticket purchases, television subscriptions, and advertising consumption. "They're paying for the subscription television. They're paying for your advertising that's coming in because if they weren't watching the advertising, no advertiser would advertise on you," he said.

Calling himself "a custodian of the game and a guardian of the game", Modi urged cricket administrators to professionalise operations and bring in global sports experts. "I think the BCCI needs to professionalize not only itself, but bring in global people who understand the sports ecosystem," he said.