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Rajasthan reveal global team deal

Scaly piscine

Cricket Web: All-Time Legend
Rajasthan Royals reveal global team deal | England Cricket News | Cricinfo.com

Plans to create the first global sport alliance were revealed at Lord's with Rajasthan Royals leading the innovation as they joined forces with Hampshire, Cape Cobras and Trinidad and Tobago to form a worldwide Twenty20 brand. The Australian domestic Twenty20 champions, Victoria Bushrangers, are also believed to be close to confirming their participation in the venture.

Shane Warne, captain of the Rajasthan Royals and a former captain of Hampshire and Victoria, was in London to announce the plans alongside Manoj Badale, the London-based businessman who part-owns the IPL franchise, and officials from Hampshire, the Cobras and Trinidad and Tobago.

All of the teams within the deal will henceforth carry the "Royals" monicker, which means that Hampshire Royals (formerly Hawks) will be treading on the toes of their Twenty20 Cup rivals, Worcestershire Royals. The two counties are understood to have already been in discussions.

"This is a major innovation in world sport, and it represents a great opportunity for the clubs," Badale said, "but also an opportunity for fans and sponsors to be part of something totally unique and exciting. The response that we have had from fans overseas over the past two seasons has convinced us to expand our ambition."

The four other domestic teams involved in the tie-up will now play under the Royals name in their respective Twenty20 tournaments and the aim is to grow the brand around the world to give them almost year-round coverage. For the players it could create the chance to ply their trade in the other domestic competitions and opens up the option of talent-sharing between sides.

The concept is still in the planning stage, and the finer details are yet to be firmed up, including Victoria's participation. But Badale confirmed that the intention would ultimately be to roll out the brand to other existing Twenty20 markets in New Zealand, Pakistan, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh.

"I'm so excited by this," Warne said. "It would be nice to be 20 years younger. I am delighted to be part of this new innovation, and I am excited by what we can achieve, given what we have already achieved. Yet again, the Royals are leading the way. It is bonus that clubs with which I have such deep affection are so involved."

Organisers said they were looking to stage the first Royals 2020 "festival" in July during a window in the English season, with Lord's - the venue for the launch - a possible base. Matches in either Australia or South Africa during the Christmas holiday period would then follow in December, with a third tournament earmarked for the Middle East or Jaipur in early 2011. This prospect will invariably lead to more concerns about player burn-out, amid overcrowded schedules.

"I think at international level there's no doubt that they've got scheduling problems," said Sean Morris, the chief executive of Rajasthan. "But I think that Twenty cricket is becoming more and more important to the international player. He plays very little of it at the moment, and we want to fit alongside the domestic calendars. There are one or two windows in that, and we don't want to conflict and compete with them."

"When we talk of festivals, it's about the fun aspect, the enjoyment of Twenty20 cricket," said Warne. "As far as the cricket goes, if I'm bowling to Dimitri Mascarenhas and he's playing for Hampshire, I promise you it will be competitive. These will be competitive games that are fun to watch, with a festival atmosphere. Whether it's with cheerleaders, fireworks or music, it's all about the fans having fun."

"The opportunity to be part of a global brand is a unique one across all sports," added Morris. "And it will enable us to take advantage of the changing landscape in cricket, not least in the areas of marketing and talent development."

"There are plenty potential pitfalls," said Badale. "Firstly, we are going to have to ensure we don't fall outside the regulations of the domestic leagues and the cricket boards. Secondly, we have to try not to do too much too quickly. People keep asking us "What is it?" "It's" pretty simple. We're going to have the same kit, over time we're going to have the same name, and we're going to play each other a couple times a year. There are risks, but business is all about risk and return."

Hmmm.
 

silentstriker

The Wheel is Forever
Wait....what?

Isn't that sort of like having the Mumbai Manchester United or something?

I don't quite understand this deal - they are all Rajasthan Royals?
 

King Pietersen

International Captain
No. They all take the 'Royal's tag. It's explained in the article, with the example of Hampshire's T20 side being renamed Hampshire Royals (instead of their previous name, Hawks).
 

King Pietersen

International Captain
Not really sure. I presume the intention is to create a global brand, what with them using the same name and kit. What the actual benefit of that global brand will be I don't know though.
 

laksh_01

State Vice-Captain
Not really sure. I presume the intention is to create a global brand, what with them using the same name and kit. What the actual benefit of that global brand will be I don't know though.
May be sponsers. For example if Pepsi is sponsoring Rajasthan Royals they whould be for remaining 3 teams as well. Same if KFC is sponsoring Victoria that goes to the other 3 teams.
 

four_or_six

Cricketer Of The Year
Sounds like a very interesting idea commercially. And linking up with exchanges for young players would surely be valuable.
 

Richard

Cricket Web Staff Member
Fingers x'd this will be one of those mutual-help-but-no-real-larger-picture-downsides matters.

Certainly no "onoez, this will kill the game" which immediately jumps-out as obvious there.
 

Goughy

Hall of Fame Member
This Worcs thing is just being glossed over.

They have built a brand, they will have to rebrand themselves and there is no reason why they should change their name.

Id be suprised if Worcs go for this.
 

Richard

Cricket Web Staff Member
Are Worcs being forced to change their name?

If so you'd think they'd have full dilt to demand a fair amount of compensation. I can't see any reason the Royals lot would refuse either - they've plenty to gain by paying Worcs off to drop the moniker and plenty of cash sloshing around to use.
 

Goughy

Hall of Fame Member
Are Worcs being forced to change their name?

If so you'd think they'd have full dilt to demand a fair amount of compensation. I can't see any reason the Royals lot would refuse either - they've plenty to gain by paying Worcs off to drop the moniker and plenty of cash sloshing around to use.
They cant be forced and if I was them I wouldnt.

Cant have some Johnny-come-lately steal their name.
 

Jungle Jumbo

International Vice-Captain
Worcestershire could be the big winners here, even if the compensation they get is less than Hampshire (and by extension, Rajasthan) make from the venture, they're getting free cash for a change of name. The county nicknames are hardly brandnames.
 

silentstriker

The Wheel is Forever
There could be some monetary incentive involved for them to do so. If I was them, that's what I'd hold out for. I mean how much brand awareness do they have, it may not be a big deal for them to change it, and they could make big bucks from it.
 

BoyBrumby

Englishman
Reckon if Rajasthan punt Worcestershire a few thousand quid they'll be sweet. Couldn't honestly have sworn I'd have been able to identify them as The Royals anyway; it's always been the Bears and the Pears in the midlands IMHO.

Report Scaly links to doesn't mention any player sharing arrangements, which I suppose would be the obvious advantage of a cross-border link up.
 

silentstriker

The Wheel is Forever
A lot of these owners are on ego-trips. They care less about profit and more about how good they and their little toy looks. Rajasthan is not one of those teams, so maybe that has an effect, otherwise I bet they could squeeze millions out of Mallya.

I think Goughy compared some teams in English football as being expensive toys to their owners. That's such a great term because that's exactly what IPL teams are to people like Mallya.
 

NZTailender

I can't believe I ate the whole thing
They cant be forced and if I was them I wouldnt.

Cant have some Johnny-come-lately steal their name.
Considering the potential money making at hand here for the Royals brand, I'm sure Worcs can hold them to a nice ransom that would pay for completely new facilities, and perhaps their own fleet of jets with money left over for diamond encrusted cricket balls.
 

Mr Mxyzptlk

Request Your Custom Title Now!
All about making more money surely. The bigger the brand, the more pots that fingers are in, the wider the money-making potential, the more money for the owner of the brand, as well as the individual clubs.
 

Pothas

Cricket Web: All-Time Legend
Not quite sure how I feel toward this really, have an awful lot of good will towards Warney after all he did for us so I guess I am prepared to go with it and we have already have Dimi and now Lumb play in the IPL.
 

aussie

Hall of Fame Member
Weird idea IMO. Especially when it comes to thebenefits it will have on the actual cricket developments of either of these 4 clubs.

All these money making schemes in T20 *Sighs*
 
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