Team Owner Ness Wadia Says IPL Has Changed The Way India Sees Sport
NEW DELHI-Punjab Kings Co-owner Ness Wadia believes the Indian Premier League (IPL) has only begun to realize its potential, saying the tournament has transformed the way sport is viewed in India and that its “best years are still ahead.”
Wadia’s remarks came after global investment bank Houlihan Lokey’s 2026 IPL valuation study reported that the tournament’s business value rose 11.4 per cent to $20.6 billion after the 2026 season, while its brand value increased 10.3 per cent year-on-year to $4.3 billion.
According to the report, Punjab Kings, one of the eight original IPL franchises bought in 2008 for roughly $76 million, was valued at approximately $158 million this year, a 12.1 per cent increase from 2025.
“It’s been the emotional connection people have with their teams. Families organize their evenings around IPL matches. You can understand that intellectually, but you only truly appreciate it when you’re part of it.
“The other thing that’s genuinely surprised me is how far the game has travelled. We saw a team from Italy playing at this year’s World Cup, and watching the IPL now stretches into places like South America, countries I never imagined would be following cricket. Year after year, people wait for it. It’s slowly turning into something close to a cult, one that crosses every diaspora.
“The IPL has changed the way sport is viewed in India. It’s created careers, inspired investment, encouraged other leagues and built sporting brands that millions of people genuinely care about,” Wadia said.
Reflecting on the league’s early years, Wadia, who co-owns Punjab Kings with Mohit Burman, Preity Zinta and Karan Paul, said the franchise took seven years to break even.
“We simply believed Indian sport was ready for a new chapter, and we wanted to be part of building it. It took seven years to break even. We always knew this wasn’t a short-term play.
“But I still think the IPL is only getting started. I always believed the IPL would become one of the biggest sporting leagues in the world. I just didn’t think it would happen this quickly. Today, when you see institutional investors looking at franchises and global capital entering the space, it validates the conviction we had back in 2008.”
Ahead of the next IPL media rights cycle, Punjab Kings Co-owner Wadia expressed confidence in the league’s continued growth.
“I’m optimistic about the next media rights cycle, not because I’m an owner, but because the fundamentals continue to get stronger. Every year the IPL attracts bigger audiences.
“I wouldn’t speculate on the final number, but if you’re asking whether we’ve reached the ceiling, my answer is no. The IPL is still evolving, and I believe its best years are still ahead of it,” he added. (IANS)
