As the 2025 Indian Premier League (IPL) season approaches, all teams are preparing for a significant overhaul due to the upcoming mega auction scheduled for next month.
The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) and the IPL Governing Council established the retention guidelines last month, but the exact date and location of the auction have not yet been confirmed.
According to a report, the mega auction is expected to take place in Riyadh on November 24 and 25, with franchises reportedly informed of this tentative schedule.
Last year marked the first time the IPL auction was held outside India, taking place in Dubai. This year, the auction is again set to occur in the Middle East.
The report indicates that London and Singapore were also considered as potential venues; however, Saudi Arabia was chosen due to its favorable time zone, which aligns well with broadcast requirements.
Sources suggest that the board and IPL officials are in the final stages of confirming a venue that can accommodate all delegations, including representatives from the 10 franchises and a large crew from the two broadcasters, Jio and Disney Star.
While hosting the auction in Saudi Arabia is expected to be more costly than in Dubai, the BCCI aims to tap into new markets, given the IPL’s status as the most popular cricket league globally.
Franchises are awaiting official confirmation from the BCCI regarding the venue so they can initiate the visa process and address other logistical arrangements promptly.
Regarding retention rules, each of the 10 franchises can retain up to six players through retention and the Right To Match (RTM) option. The auction purse for each franchise has been set at INR 120 crore.
The first three retentions will reduce the auction purse by INR 18 crore, INR 14 crore, and INR 11 crore, respectively. The fourth and fifth retentions will incur greater costs, with reductions of INR 18 crore and INR 14 crore, respectively.
In total, this means that a team will see its auction purse decrease by INR 75 crore for five players, leaving only INR 45 crore available for the auction. The deadline for player retentions ahead of the IPL 2025 mega auction is October 31.
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Name of Author: Cricexec Staff
