IPL Franchisee’s mobilizing funds through private equity?

TOI reports:

It seems franchisee owners are locked in talks with these players to offload a part of their stakes in their respective teams.

Investment banking sources say, many team owners are in the market to raise funds. "We are given to understand that minority stakes will be diluted by the owners. Names of franchisees going around include Deccan Chronicle (Hyderabad), Vijay Mallya (Bangalore), Ness Wadia and Preity Zinta (Mohali) and Shah Rukh Khan's Red Chillies Entertainment (Kolkata)," an investment banker, who did not wish to be named, said.

Persons of the caliber of Vijay Mallya and corporate like the Deccan Chronicle group can be depended upon to preserve the sanctity of the game and the dignity of their players within the ambit of commercialisation.

However, the same cannot be said of the other franchisee owners. Franchisee owners like Preity Zinta and Shah Rukh Khan are film stars playing at being business people. It is doubtful that they can withstand the pressure from their private equity holders for more profit. Surely, they are knaves when it comes to corporate games. Are they capable of outsmarting a corporate purge? Can they retain their hold on their franchisees?

The private equity player’s sole motivation is profit. If they don’t see any, they will be business like and will not hesitate in treating the cricketers like cattle and sell them-off.

Hope Ganguly and others of his stature are spared the ignominy.