According to Lalit Modi, the real value of IPL lies in the home and away format, in which each team plays against the other team on its home and away grounds. But in the current season it is not being fully implemented. He said that BCCI gets 50 percent of the earnings of every match and the remaining 50 percent is distributed among the teams. In such a situation, when the number of matches was less, it would have a direct impact on the earnings of the teams.

Lalit Modi raised questions on IPL model
He clearly said, ‘The fee at which the teams have joined the league, playing home and away matches is a part of the contract. If there is no space in the calendar, the number of teams should not have been increased. This is a commercial deal, and changes in it are not right.

BCCI loss of Rs 2400 crore
It is noteworthy that after the addition of Lucknow Super Giants and Gujarat Titans in 2022, the number of teams in IPL increased from 8 to 10. After this the format of the league was changed. Earlier the plan was that all the teams would play home and away matches against each other, which would have resulted in a total of 90 matches in the league stage. After this, there would have been a total of 94 matches including three playoffs and one final. But currently IPL is being played with 70 league matches and 4 playoff matches. That means about 20 matches are being reduced, due to which the franchise is facing loss of potential earnings.

Franchisee is facing loss of Rs 120 crore
Modi explained with figures that if there were 94 matches and an average of Rs 118 crore was received from media rights from each match, then a total additional earning of Rs 2400 crore could have been made. Out of this, about Rs 1200 crore would have been distributed among 10 teams, which means each team would have got a benefit of about Rs 120 crore. This would further increase the value of the teams.

He also said that not all franchises have agreed to this change. According to them, it is not the same model that we sold. This statement of Modi started a new debate regarding the current structure and future of IPL.

Lalit Modi was suspended by BCCI soon after the third season of IPL in 2010. At the same time, citing threats from the underworld, Modi left India and went to London. Later the ED issued a Blue Corner Notice against him and also canceled his passport. Since then Lalit Modi has been living in London. Apart from money laundering, cases are also going on against him under the Foreign Exchange Management Act i.e. FEMA.