Promote the IPL as family entertainment

At least the IPL has now blossomed into a full-fledged drama worthy of Indian television and its entertainment-inclined audiences.

The short-format game's inventors need to be commended for bringing in a more diverse viewership for cricket - albeit via unconventional or inadvertent means - for had IPL stuck to only cricket it risked being confined only to buffs eventually.

Even more than the presence of skimpily clad cheerleaders, the unending procession of scandals has injected a component of excitement to the tournament that has probably brought in hordes of new viewers. When a team or player's inclusion (or exclusion) is no longer dependent on conventional norms such as league positions or fitness , but on imponderables such as betting cartels and intracricket rivalries, the potential for crowd-pulling surprises rises.

The recent inclusion of a family drama - allegations of funny business, complete with wayward scions - has increased IPL's attraction for a non-sporting audience. The IPL means different things to different people depending on whether it is viewed via a sports or news channel, but a whole family's evening entertainment is taken care of, either way.

All we need now is a serial with IPL and its shenanigans as the backdrop, so that interest does not flag between each edition of the tournament.