Page 57 - IPL1

T
he bidders and the winners:

In January 2008, India, and perhaps the sporting world,
saw one of the most electric meetings to be held in
cricketing boardrooms the world over – the opening of

the franchise ITT bids.

It witnessed India’s biggest names from varied

industries vie for ownership of one of eight available
venues and teams.

Post the opening of the bids, the new owners of the
teams were:

1. Mukesh Ambani’s Rathi Priya Trading Company bid
of US$111.9 million dollars for the city franchise of

Mumbai
2. Vijay Mallya’s UB Group bid of US$111.6 million for
the city franchise of Bangalore
3. Deccan Chronicles bid of US$107.1 million for the city

franchise of Hyderabad
4. India Cements bid of US$91 million for the city

franchise of Chennai
5. GMR bid of US$84 million for the city franchise Delhi
6. Red Changing Media bid of US$67 million for the city

franchise of Jaipur
7. Red Chilies Entertainment bid of US$75.05 million for

the city franchise of Kolkatta
8. Preity Zinta bid of US$76 million for the city franchise
of Mohali

Each of these eight franchises were owned by an
eclectic mix of India’s best, from an alcohol baron and

petro-chemical tycoon to film stars and management
teams that comprised the finest minds in the country.

49 50