Cricket, a gentlemen's game till the inauguration of the Indian Premier League, has changed its ways and means post the success of the latter. The ardent lovers and the stalwarts of the game would have never envisaged that cricket would form a part of the ongoing extravaganza. The amalgamation of Cricket with Bollywood saw fruition and the duo have further strengthened relationships by intertwining to the business of sports. The amount of Bollywood influence on the game has substantially increased, thus, changing the very temperament of the game.
Since the inception of the IPL, there has been an influx of Bollywood celebrities in the game - either for business or marketing purposes. Bollywood biggies Akshay Kumar, Hrithik Roshan and Katrina Kaif were roped in as the official faces for Delhi Daredevils, Mumbai Indians and Royal Bangalore Challengers, respectively. Realising the business potential in the game, others from the Bollywood fraternity, like Shah Rukh Khan, Juhi Chawla and Preity Zinta acquired franchises of the teams in the IPL. Recently, Shilpa Shetty also acquired a stake in Rajasthan Royals. Hindi film industry personalities have further enhanced ties with the game of cricket by coming together with players in ad campaigns to endorse brands such as Pepsi, Royal Stag, Videocon, Reebok, Dabur, etc. Brands endorsed by cricketers and Bollywood stars gain an extra edge over other products due to the face value and snob appeal among the masses.
The conglomerate has reaped benefits on the monetary front in an immense way. The hype created by the combination of Cricket and Bollywood for IPL has spread across the world and has attracted huge bucks. Players, for Season 1 and 2 of the IPL have been bought for staggering amounts; marketing has been done in a lavish manner and the cheerleading girls make up for the glamour quotient. The flavour of Bollywood has now been merged with that of Cricket, thus diluting the persona of the game.
However, one would feel that amidst the enormous business that this conglomerate has tapped and the revenues it has garnered, the game has lost its charm - a charm so ever-present a few years ago. Though the game has been revolutionalised from the business aspect, the lovers and the observers of the game would feel that the game is not a game anymore. It has turned out to be a valued proposition for business for many.
Since the inception of the IPL, there has been an influx of Bollywood celebrities in the game - either for business or marketing purposes. Bollywood biggies Akshay Kumar, Hrithik Roshan and Katrina Kaif were roped in as the official faces for Delhi Daredevils, Mumbai Indians and Royal Bangalore Challengers, respectively. Realising the business potential in the game, others from the Bollywood fraternity, like Shah Rukh Khan, Juhi Chawla and Preity Zinta acquired franchises of the teams in the IPL. Recently, Shilpa Shetty also acquired a stake in Rajasthan Royals. Hindi film industry personalities have further enhanced ties with the game of cricket by coming together with players in ad campaigns to endorse brands such as Pepsi, Royal Stag, Videocon, Reebok, Dabur, etc. Brands endorsed by cricketers and Bollywood stars gain an extra edge over other products due to the face value and snob appeal among the masses.
The conglomerate has reaped benefits on the monetary front in an immense way. The hype created by the combination of Cricket and Bollywood for IPL has spread across the world and has attracted huge bucks. Players, for Season 1 and 2 of the IPL have been bought for staggering amounts; marketing has been done in a lavish manner and the cheerleading girls make up for the glamour quotient. The flavour of Bollywood has now been merged with that of Cricket, thus diluting the persona of the game.
However, one would feel that amidst the enormous business that this conglomerate has tapped and the revenues it has garnered, the game has lost its charm - a charm so ever-present a few years ago. Though the game has been revolutionalised from the business aspect, the lovers and the observers of the game would feel that the game is not a game anymore. It has turned out to be a valued proposition for business for many.
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