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The Essel Group planned to set up academies equipped with suitable facilities across the country where proper training would be imparted to upcoming players. Sports medicine would be introduced to ensure the fitness of the players. Apart from that, a
detailed record of the behavior pattern of the players, their diet plan and game stats would be maintained. There would be talent scouts posted across all the States and Union Territories of the country to identify the potential talents for the league.

A four-member Executive Board was set up to run the league that included Kapil Dev as the Chairman of the Board while Kiran More, Tony Greg and Dean Jones were the other members of the Board. On being appointed the Chairman of the Board, Kapil Dev opined, "It’s great pleasure to lead the Executive Board of the ICL, the first professional league. I will try and utilize my experience of motivating and guiding players, both as captain and coach, to take the young talent to the pinnacle of success."⁶ There were reports that some of the major international players like Brain Lara, Shane Warne, Glenn McGrath and Inzamam-ul-Haq expressed their consent to play in the league.

Challenges Facing ICL

Chandra’s initiative was reported to face the first major challenge in the form of a copyright issue. It was learnt that the Indian Cricket League was the copyright of a top BCCI official, in an individual capacity. Lalit Modi, Vice President, BCCI, said, "An individual holds the copyright of the three words, Indian Cricket League. I cannot reveal who holds the copyright."⁷

Certain sources opined that the matter needed to be sorted out between the concerned individual of the BCCI along with the Essel and other legal and regulating authorities. BCCI sources further observed, "Otherwise, it could lead to a case of copyright violation by the broadcaster, because technically and legally, the league cannot be called Indian Cricket League."⁸ However, Himanshu Mody, Business Head, Zee Sports, observed, "There is no such complication. We are currently in the process of registering the ICL name."⁹

Moreover, on 12th June 2007, it was formally decided by the BCCI working committee that it would not endorse Chandra’s initiative. BCCI treasurer, N. Srinivasan, refused to entertain queries regarding the ICL saying, "What is there to say about ICL?"¹⁰ When asked if the Committee approved the event, he categorically replied, "No"¹¹.

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6 "Kapil, More in Zee’s cricket league", http://www.cricketnext.com/news/kapil-more-in-zees-cricket-league/24987-13.html
7 Bhushan Ratna & Krishna Sonali, "Indian Cricket League runs into copyright row", http://cricket.indiatimes.com/NewsIndian_Cricket_League_runs_into_copyright_row/
articleshow/2096324.cms, June 3rd 2007
8 Ibid.
9 "Indian Cricket League runs into copyright row", op.cit.
10 "BCCI shoots down ICL", http://ia.rediff.com/cricket/2007/jun/13icl.htm, June 13th, 2007
11 Ibid.

* Contributed by -
Kisholoy Roy,
MBA (Marketing),
Content Editor, Infoedge Management Solutions.