MUMBAI: The BCCI has allocated Rs 500 million for the opening ceremony of the eleventh edition of the IPL, Rs 200 million more than what was budgeted for eight separate events held in each of the eight home venues of the respective franchises last year.
The two thirds increase in the cost of the opening ceremony over last year, to be held at the Wankhede Stadium, home turf of defending champions Mumbai Indians, is reportedly being planned so as to give a suitably extravagant build-up to IPL 2018, where new broadcast partner Star India will make its bow.
The opener will be held on April 6, a day before the first match of the tournament here.
“The IPL GC has taken decision to increase the IPL budget to 50 crore (Rs 500 million). The BCCI felt in order to make it grand we will be needing stars from around the world. And if you want world stars to perform then you need the necessary budget. The board has decided to do away with having an opening ceremony in each of the eight venues and have a grand event this time around,” sources in the BCCI told Indian Express.
Earlier editions of the IPL have seen the likes of pop stars Katy Perry and Lady Gaga, pop rock legend Bryan Adams, hip hop stars Pitbull and Akon, to name a few. The multiple opening ceremonies last year though were limited to having Bollywood celebrities on stage.
