- Mahadharani Vijay

Lalit Modi claims IPL 2026 cricket is losing Rs 2,400 crore by not following the full home and away format.

Former Indian Premier League commissioner Lalit Modi claims that the IPL 2026 cricket season is losing an additional Rs 2,400 crore in revenue by not adhering to the full home-and-away format that was originally planned for the competition.

Modi made the remarks in reaction to the league's rising valuation, particularly following the rumored sale of two teams, the Rajasthan Royals and Royal Challengers Bengaluru, for a total of around Rs thirty one thousand crore. Although he expressed delight with the league's expansion, he contended that its commercial potential is being constrained by the existing tournament structure.

According to Modi the original plan for the IPL was for each team to play each other twice, once at home and once away. A setup like this would have resulted in a 90 match league stage and four playoff games, for a total of 94 games, when the competition grew to ten teams in 2022. But by altering the home-and-away schedule, the IPL has maintained its 74 match format. Also he stated that both the franchises and the Board of Control for Cricket in India have suffered a direct financial loss as a result.

In an interview with Sportstar, Modi stated that under the existing revenue sharing arrangement, the BCCI gets half of each game's proceeds, with the remaining half going to the teams. He contended that the tournament's importance is being diminished and clubs are losing out on substantial income due to the lack of 20 league games.

Lalit Modi defined the whole home-and-away pattern as a commercial and contractual responsibility linked to franchise owners' fees. He questioned why the original format had not been reinstated and speculated that not all parties were in agreement with the decision. He added that the media rights alone would bring in an extra Rs two thousand four hundred crore if the IPL were to run with 94 games at an estimated Rs 118 crore each. The franchises will receive Rs thousand two hundred crore of that sum, or about Rs 120 crore each club, which he thinks would raise franchise valuations even more.

Thus, Business Fortune is of the view that the full IPL format could unlock far greater revenue potential.

About The Author

Mahadharani Vijay is a writer specializing in digital marketing, electric and concept cars, gadgets, and media and entertainment. She focuses on turning emerging trends and innovations into clear, engaging, and accessible stories for both professionals and wider audiences.