Pakistan Super League: Poised for takeoff

Having worked through a temporary make-do workplace till now, on
Monday (Jan 28) the Pakistan Super League (PSL) Secretariat moved to
its custom-made offices with tempered glass cubicles and slick work
stations at what one could call the Gaddafi Stadium penthouse. The
place was indeed abuzz with activity that one could categorize as
hectic and intense.
But then the insider information is that it is the standard, everyday
fare for an organization that is wading into uncharted territory – as
far as this country is concerned – with myriad details to be worked
out on a canvas that is quite expansive, leaving nothing to chance
when so many variables are thrown in as the proverbial spanner, and
that includes the ill-timed public remarks on PSL by a former PCB
chairman.
The biggest bugbear of them all, of course, is the travel advisories
of various governments and cricket boards that ask cricketers and
officials to shun Pakistan as a destination on account of security.
Another big hassle is a corollary: with the presence of top of the
line cricketing draw cards entities not a given, the franchise owners
and the sponsors were said to be hedging their bets before getting on
to the PSL bandwagon.
But perceptions are said to be changing – and fast. Late on Friday
evening, the PSL released three highly credible names as its first
batch of officials, including two South Africans and one Zimbabwean.
Given the circumstances, Mike Procter, Rudi Koertzen and Russell
Tiffin are not a bad first trio to come on board. To those used to
hearing a condescending but firm ‘No’ to our pleas to send their team
over, this must have been music to the ears. Apparently, Haroon Lorgat
is earning his keep.
Nobody is confirming anything – not even divulging anything as ‘off
the record’. But the grapevine has it that negotiations with quite a
few big shot names from all over the world, and that includes
Australia, England and South Africa, are in advanced stages and
signing with a bunch of them is nigh.
Another heartening development is the keen interest of the satellite
broadcasters that are such an integral part of the organization. This
scribe has come to know that eight to nine broadcasters have shown
serious intent by bidding for the multi-million dollar rights that
span over the first five years.
The PSL top honchos, said a source, are happy at the response. “With
the best broadcasters in business bidding for the PSL rights, it
augurs well in terms of quality of visual coverage as well as
commentary and expert opinion which is so essential to give any event
of such magnitude the kind of lift and buildup that it requires.
“What the PSL is not going to compromise on in this sphere, and every
other, is meeting the uppermost benchmarks already set across the
world. We not only want to extract maximum value from our
broadcasters, we are also evaluating their sweep and asking for 36
cameras, best commentator-expert outfit – the whole gamut. Nothing
less than the gold standard”, said Salman Sarwar Butt, the PSL
managing director.
A pocket dynamo of a corporate type who loves the game passionately,
Salman would not give any specifics on which corporate entities
interest the PSL has piqued as franchise buyers, but his broad-brush
response for obvious reasons was that not only the best in the country
and the Gulf have shown interest, but inquiries have come from as far
and wide as the United Kingdom and Singapore.
“We’re getting a good response. To those who are still dithering in
coming forward, I would say, Do not miss the bus, do not look at it as
a one-year wonder, for it is going to evolve over five years. Even the
IPL despite its inherent strengths evolved as it went along. I promise
those who are being too cautious today, they’re going to regret it
later for the franchises would have been locked up by then.”
“And there is no avenue even remotely comparable for the marketing
rupee in terms of visibility and mileage than the PSL”, Salman
concluded.