Lalit Modi Admits Violating IPL 2008 Broadcast Rights
Former Indian Premier League (IPL) chairman Lalit Modi has made a stunning revelation about the very first match of the IPL back in 2008. Modi admitted that he broke broadcasting rules during the iconic clash between Kolkata Knight Riders and Royal Challengers Bengaluru to ensure the league got maximum visibility on its debut.
Speaking to former Australian cricketer Michael Clarke on a podcast, Modi revealed he was concerned about Sony Network’s reach at the time. Despite signing an exclusive broadcasting contract with Sony, he chose to override the deal and allow other broadcasters and news channels to air the game live.
“Everything, everything was dependent on that one game. I broke every rule in the book that day. I signed the contract, an exclusive contract with Sony, but Sony didn’t have the reach. I said open the signal. Now it was available everywhere, right? And I told all the broadcasters who lost out, all of you, all news channels, go live,” Lalit told Michael Clarke during a recent podcast.
He further added, “Sony said ‘I’ll sue you’. I said ‘Sue me later, forget about it? Ok, we are going live now because you don’t have the reach’. I needed everybody to watch the first game. If the first game had flopped, I was dead.”
Why Lalit Modi Took the Risk
According to Modi, the survival of the tournament hinged on the success of that opening fixture. The inaugural season carried immense risk and pressure, and Modi felt that only massive television reach could guarantee the IPL’s long-term success. His decision paid off, as the tournament went on to become one of the biggest sporting leagues in the world.
The Harbhajan-Sreesanth Controversy Resurfaces
This revelation comes shortly after Modi stirred another controversy by releasing footage of the infamous “Slapgate” incident from IPL 2008, when Harbhajan Singh slapped teammate S Sreesanth. The resurfaced video drew strong criticism from Harbhajan, who condemned the leak.
“The way the video has been leaked, it’s wrong. It shouldn’t have happened. They might have a selfish motive behind it. Something that happened 18 years ago, people have forgotten, and they are reminding people about it,” Harbhajan told Instant Bollywood.
With these back-to-back revelations, Lalit Modi has once again found himself in the spotlight, reminding fans of the controversies and drama that surrounded the early years of the IPL.
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