Lalit Modi, the man who created the Indian Premier League, has shared a shocking story about how he saved the tournament on its very first day. Speaking on Michael Clarke’s podcast, Modi revealed that he completely ignored broadcasting rules during the opening match between Kolkata Knight Riders and Royal Challengers Bangalore in 2008.
According to reports by Stumpscast, Modi was so worried about low viewership that he made a bold decision that could have landed him in serious legal trouble.
The Risky Decision That Changed Everything
“Everything depended on that one match,” Modi explained during the podcast. “I broke every rule that day.”
Even though Sony had paid big money for exclusive broadcasting rights, Modi felt their reach wasn’t good enough. So he did something unthinkable – he opened up the signal to everyone.
“I had signed an exclusive contract with Sony, but they didn’t have enough reach. I said, ‘Open the signal.’ Suddenly, the match was available everywhere!” Modi recalled.
He didn’t stop there. Modi personally called other broadcasters who had lost the bidding war and told them to start showing the match live. News channels, sports networks – everyone was suddenly allowed to broadcast the IPL opening match for free.
Sony Wasn’t Happy
As you can imagine, Sony was furious. They had paid for exclusive rights and suddenly found their content being shown everywhere.
“Sony threatened to sue me,” Modi said. “I told them, ‘Sue me later, forget it for now. We’re going live because your reach isn’t enough.'”
Modi knew he was taking a huge risk, but he felt he had no choice. “I wanted everyone to watch the first match. If that match had flopped, I would have been finished.”
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The Gamble Paid Off
Modi’s risky move worked. The IPL became an instant hit, and both Sony and Modi benefited from the tournament’s success. The massive viewership on day one helped establish the IPL as a must-watch event.
However, Modi’s relationship with the BCCI became complicated over time. In 2009, the BCCI ended its deal with Sony, citing contract issues. Modi then worked out a new agreement where Sony got the rights back until 2017 for around $1.63 billion.
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Legal Troubles Follow
This new deal included a payment of ₹425 crore to World Sports Group, which raised eyebrows. The Enforcement Directorate started investigating Modi, claiming he misused his position to favor certain companies. These legal issues are still ongoing today.
Modi currently lives in the UK and cannot return to India due to these legal matters.