Ahead of the beginning of the new IPL season in 2021, fans have been bombarded with the news that “no fans will be allowed” in any of the matches this year. This means that the BCCI will allow no actual fans to attend the matches to watch live in the stadium. And this news has disappointed fans, to say the least.
The IPL season brings millions of fans to the stadiums, watching their home teams battling for the ultimate victory. Enjoying the match live in the stadium is an experience unlike any other, and obviously, ardent fans are not too happy about the BCCI’s decision. However, the pandemic is still very much a threat, which means that a live audience may turn out to be the kind of super-spreader situation that the government wishes to avoid.
“Yes, I can confirm that there will be no spectators allowed for this season. Not for a single match. We will have a Governing Council meeting in the next two days to ratify these decisions. The decision was taken Mumbai as a venue was difficult to decide. but we believe things will improve. But we are keeping our options open (to opt for a replacement venue in case the situation goes out of hand,” Brijesh Patel, the IPL Governing Council Chairman, said in an exclusive interview.
This leaves the fans wondering about where they can catch the live broadcast of the IPL 2021. Not being able to watch in the stadium is a disappointing piece of news, for sure. But all may not be lost, because the IPL 2021 will be broadcasted all over the Star Sports network. The matches will also be shown in multiple languages and over several different channels, to make them accessible for everyone.
People who don’t own a TV shouldn’t curse their luck too soon though, because Disney+ and Hotstar will be broadcasting all IPL 2021 matches on their website as well as mobile apps. Thus, for people who generally prefer catching their matches on their phones while on the move, Hotstar is the answer to your woes.
Last but not least, the one upside to sitting at home and watching the IPL 2021, instead of from the stadium, is the rather comfortable access to all kinds of IPL betting options. If you’re someone who likes to play IPL satta online, you will have more time and ease to actually sort through the best IPL odds and make wagers that fetch you the best price.
An additional plus point is that betting sites like Betway or Bet365 actually allow users to live stream IPL matches through their platforms as well!
This year, the IPL 2021 will not allow any of the teams to play home games. All 60 IPL matches will be held in 6 Indian cities, namely Mumbai, Chennai, Bangalore, Delhi, Kolkata, and Ahmedabad.
Obviously, this decision comes as a stray from the IPL tradition. However, these additional precautions are deemed necessary to protect both the IPL players as well as fans from the ongoing pandemic.
But we do hope that next year, the IPL can go back to its original format, allowing fans to cheer from the stands of the home game stadiums for their favorite teams!