Life’s a pitch: Baseball whacks IPL teams out of money park

According to a new list of the 30 major league baseball (MLB) teams published in a special edition of business magazine Forbes and ranked on the basis of their valuation, New York Yankees are currently valued at $1.306 billion.

In comparison, all the eight IPL teams currently fighting for the league’s first ever trophy in India, together carry a value tag of just about half this figure at $723.7 million.

Besides, even the most valued IPL team carries a value less than the least valued of the 30 MLB teams.

Mumbai Indians, owned by billionaire Mukesh Ambani who runs the country’s most valued corporate house, is valued at $111.9 million — greater than any other team of the league.

It is closely followed by Bangalore Royal Challengers, owned by another billionaire businessman Vijay Mallya, with a team value of $111.6 million, while Hyderabad Deccan Chargers — owned by media house Deccan Chronicle — is the only other IPL team with a valuation of over $100 million.

However, New York Yankees is the only team currently valued at over one billion dollar, according to the Forbes list.

The eight IPL teams have an average valuation of about $90.5 million, which is just about one-fifth of the average worth of the 30 MLB teams.

Among other IPL teams, Chennai Super Kings, owned by India Cement, is valued at $91 million, infrastructure major GMR Holdings’ Delhi Daredevils is worth $84 million and Mohali Kings XI Punjab, owned by Bollywood star Preity Zinta and Wadia group’s Ness Wadia, is valued at $76 million.

Besides, Kolkata Knight Riders, owned by Bollywood superstar Shahrukh Khan and which won its first IPL match against Mallya’s team, is valued at $75.09 million and Jaipur’s Rajasthan Royals, owned by Emerging India, carries a valuation tag of $67 million.

In addition to their high-profile owners, these teams have a host of cricketers of national and international fame.

While it is yet to be seen whether the values of IPL teams goes up or down in the future, the valuations of all the 30 MLB teams have increased in the past one year with an average rise of close to 10 per cent.

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