IBL launched, to commence from June 24

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In a bid to cash in on badminton’s popularity in recent times owing to consistent showing from the likes of Saina Nehwal and Parupalli Kashyap, the Badminton Association of India launched the Indian Badminton League (IBL) on the lines of the IPL, here on Saturday. Top international shuttlers will be involved in the richest prize-money tournament in the world of badminton, the organisers informed.

A joint initiative of BAI and its commercial partner Sporty Solutionz Private Ltd, the IBL will be held from June 24 to July 11 and will have a clear window in the annual calendar.

Five Indian players were announced as the icons of the six city-based franchise outfits. Apart from Saina, whose base price has been fixed at $50,000, Kashyap, Jwala Gutta and Ashwini Ponnappa and new sensation P.V. Sindhu were named as the team icons.

Eight cities – Delhi, Nagpur, Pune, Mumbai, Lucknow, Chennai, Hyderabad and Bangalore – have been shortlisted for the city-based franchises and six of them would be up for open sales in the first year with Rs 3.5 crore as the base price. Each team can sign up to four foreign players with three available to play in the best-of-five ties on the format of the Sudirman Cup world team championships.

“Malaysia and Indonesia has already confirmed to send all its players. The BAI has already approached the Chinese authorities,” said Sporty Solutionz CEO Ashish Chadha. “The money earned by foreign stars will be much higher than what they earn even after winning top tournaments,” he added.