NEW DELHI: Indian Premier League franchise Rajasthan Royals is made public its disaffection with the state of affairs in its “home” state vis-a-vis the treatement meted out to the team over the years and given the option would be more than ready to shift base.
“Be it the state’s sports council, under whose aegis the Rajasthan Cricket Association (RCA) falls, the state machinery catering to law and order, the former officers of the RCA itself and political bigwigs in the state… they’ve all collectively given Rajasthan Royals nothing but trouble over the years. Plain harassment, that’s what we’ve suffered,” franchise officials told Times of India.
“Even a back-of-the-envelope math on their revenues in Jaipur will show how the franchise has been losing money. Look at the stadium. It’s in such a bad state. The newly-elected body in RCA has just come in and they’ll need time even if they’re looking to correct things. The place has been a mess for quite some time now. Over the years, the RCA has failed to come up with good infrastructure anywhere outside of Jaipur,” franchise representatives told the daily.
Last season, the franchise had made a request to play a few of their matches in Guwahati and this particular request has now been challenged in the Rajasthan High Court. “It’s a lovely ground. Some of our leading players visited there and praised the venue. There’s a strong Marwari presence in the northeast (Royals’ fan-base in Rajasthan) and we feel welcome there. That’s why we put in a request,” the official said.
The Royals official claimed that the demand for free tickets from the police or other state-backed authorities and the mandatory allotment of seats to RCA are festering issues which forced the franchise into losses.
Laments apart, the Royals ownership group will likely have to “grin and bear it”. Because the chances of their being allowed to shift base, were they to make an official request, look pretty dim from this perch.
