CHENNAI: Akshaya Tritiya, one of the most holy days in the Hindu calendar, falls on May 9. The day is considered auspicious and people prefer to buy jewelry among other things.
However, K Srinath, brother of former India captain Krish Srikkanth, might be planning to buy something a bit more pricier than a 24 carat gold around the time when Akshaya Tritiya comes knocking this year: a cricket team in the inaugural edition of the Tamil Nadu Premier League (TNPL).
Sources said one of the prominent people who picked up tender applications was Srinath, who has played for the state and South Zone at the junior level. Srinath’s family’s contribution to the game in the state is immense.
“It’s good to have someone from a cricketing background pick up the application on the first day,” said a senior TNCA member. “We expect at least 20 people to pick up the tender. An auspicious day comes towards the end of this week, and on that day, we will certainly see many picking up applications,” said another senior official.
The tender applications for the franchise and broadcasting rights for the TNPL opened on Monday with positive response. As many as 7 to 8 people enquired, with five picking up applications straightaway. The tender application cost is `1 lakh, which is not refundable.
“The response has been good, as seven to eight people have enquired, and five have picked up applications for franchise rights. For broadcast rights, too, many people enquired, and will pick up applications in a couple of days’ time,” said a TNCA source.
Of the regular teams in the First Division league of the TNCA, two to three teams have shown interest in the league. “Our group that promotes the TSC team, which has been promoted to the First Division in the league this year, has picked up the tender,” said K Purushothaman, in-charge of TSC.
A highly-placed source in India Pistons, an old club in the First Division, will mostly be picking up applications for tender on May 6. Another corporate house that owns two teams in the First Division, and which has been in the league for more than 50 years, has adopted a wait and watch approach, and will pick the tender application in due course.