In a league of their own

Will the newly-launched Indian Badminton League see success and bring the game the limelight - and the funds - it needs? The author finds out

The adage "imitation is the best form of flattery" aptly describes the pursuits of various sports in India to follow in the successful wake of the Indian Premier League cricket set-up. Boxing, golf, hockey and now, badminton, have all spawned an IPL-style tournament. While the other efforts have met with limited success, the badminton players would be hoping that the Indian Badminton League takes off in style after the auction of the players took place this week.

Franchises and owners:
Rajdhani Smashers (Delhi franchise, owned by Gurgaon-based Krrish Group), Hyderabad Hotshots (PVP Group, which has interests in real estate, media and entertainment), Banga Beats (Bangalore team, owned by BOP Group, a real estate consultancy firm), Pune Pistons (the Burman family), Awadhi Warriors (Sahara Group's Lucknow-based squad) and Mumbai Masters (consortium led by V Chamundeshwarnath, includes Telugu actor Nagarjuna).

Tournament format:

Just like in other leagues, the franchises will play each other twice on a home-and-away basis in four categories - men's singles, women's singles, mixed doubles and men's doubles. The top four franchises will qualify for the semi-finals. Each team will have 11 players - six Indians, four foreigners and one junior-level player from India.

Star players:
Saina Nehwal, Taufiq Hidayat (Hyderabad Hotshots), Jwala Gutta, V Diju (Rajdhani Smashers), Ashwini Ponappa, Julianne Schnek (Pune Pistons), P V Sindhu and Guru Sai Dutt (Awadhi Warriors), Lee Chong Wei and Tine Baun (Mumbai Masters), P Kashyap and Hu Yun (Banga Beats).

Most expensive players:
Lee Chong Wei, Malaysia ($135,000); Saina Nehwal, India ($120,000); Julianne Schnek, Netherlands ($90,000); P V Sindhu, India ($80,000).

Duration of League:
The opening ceremony is on August 14. The finals are on August 31 in Mumbai. Semi-finals will be played in Hyderabad and Bangalore.

Prize money: $1 million

Broadcasters and sponsors:
None have been officially announced, but it is reported that STAR Sports will broadcast The League. The League has six sponsors on board.

The challenge for IBL will be sustaining itself. Badminton is a popular sport and stars like Nehwal and Kashyap can pull the crowds. But will the audience watch matches between unknown foreign players? Even in IPL, team owners have found sustainability difficult. A world-class league can do wonders for the sport . But will this translate into money for the players, the sport and the sponsors?