Lodha committee repercussions: BCCI may be forced to end pension scheme

New Delhi: After the Supreme Court-appointed Justice Lodha committee's suggestion to adopt uninterrupted telecast without advertisement breaks between overs in international and Indian Premier League (IPL) games at home, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has reportedly expressed their reservations.

According to a report in The Times of India, if the Lodha committee suggestion is implemented, the BCCI is set to lose as much as 75% of projected telecast rights revenue, which is pegged around Rs 2000 crore for 2016.

And with dwindling revenue inflow, the Indian board could be forced to stop many generous schemes, including the pension scheme for former cricketers.

Most of the recommendations of the Lodha panel have been good, and have received support from a diverse cross-section of the society, but the one pertaining to the advertisements seemed to have found limited takers. BCCI officials, who did not wish to come on record, reacted strongly to it and said that if the income of the board was affected, then the expenditure will have to be reduced.

"The pension scheme for former cricketers will have to be scrapped," the officials were quoted as saying.

"If the Lodha committee report is implemented, the board will then make only Rs 300 crore from the IPL. This will consequently reduce the income of the IPL teams too," a top BCCI official was quoted in the report.

The Indian board makes Rs 20 crore for every IPL match and with 60 matches to be played every season, the BCCI stands to gain Rs 1,200 crore from the IPL annually, the report added.

The report continued that the board claimed that it has a clear understanding with its broadcasters – Sony and Star – to keep the sanctity of the game coverage intact by showing all crucial moments of the game and not to miss a single ball of a match. Therefore, the question of commerce overtaking the enjoyment of the sport is not there according to the BCCI.

"If need be, the board may certainly talk to the broadcasters to bring in more clarity but the game can't survive without commercials," the source added.

The Supreme Court-appointed panel has recommended airing of ads only during drinks, lunch and tea intervals.