PSL: Learning from the Leagues We Secretly Envy

PSL: We've Got the Anthems, Now How About a Brand Strategy?

Bling Before Business: Is PSL More Focused on Glitz Than Growth?

These are the thoughts while I have been noting down the crowd not taking interest in PSL games being staged in my own city, this is another aspect that The Pakistan Super League (PSL) burst onto the scene with all the subtlety of a fireworks factory explosion. Glittering cricket grounds, Pakistani rockstars galore, and anthems that could wake the dead - the PSL didn't hold back on the razzle-dazzle. But several seasons in, a cynical question lingers: is the PSL more focused on short-term glitz than on building a sustainable brand for the long haul?

We're bombarded with PSL content - highlight reels of six-hitting batsmen and acrobatic catches flood our screens. But where's the strategic marketing that builds a loyal fanbase beyond our borders? Look at the IPL - it's become a global phenomenon, not just a cricket tournament. Their brand extends far beyond the boundary ropes. On the other hand, the PSL feels like a party with a guest list that never seems to grow.

While I was researching on this topic

PSL facing some tough competition! You might've noticed there are a lot of cricket leagues happening all at once. February, which is usually PSL time, is now packed with the Bangladesh Premier League, ILT20, and SAT20. This makes it harder for the PSL to stand out.

On top of that, PSL has some other challenges:

• Ramadan: Since Ramadan falls in March this year, some fans might miss matches.
• New Zealand Tour: After the PSL, there's a tour by New Zealand's backup players (since their main guys are busy with the IPL).
• Champions Trophy Prep: Once that's done, Pakistan needs to get ready for the Champions Trophy in 2025.

But here's the real bummer: Even though it's almost April, cricket fans in Karachi still have to deal with:

• Uncomfortable seating: No proper chairs at the National Bank Cricket Stadium (NBCS)!
• Long walks: Parking is kilometres away from the stadium!
• Tech troubles: Power banks and laptops might not be allowed inside (double-check this though!).
  
  Imagine the difference: We saw how much fun fans had at the recent SAT20 in South Africa. It looked like a party! The PSL needs to find a way to make watching cricket at the stadium more enjoyable.

Plus, the way PSL is broadcasted isn't as flashy as some other leagues (ILT20 and SAT20). The IPL is another level entirely – it's even bigger than the English Premier League for broadcasting!

The bottom line: The PSL is awesome, but it needs to step up its game to keep fans excited and coming back for more!

Where is the ECONOMY of PSL?

In the course of my research on the Indian Premier League (IPL), I discovered that the investors responsible for creating IPL teams have had a significant positive impact on the economy. The same trend has been observed with other T20 leagues, such as the South African T20 (SAT20) and the United Arab Emirates' T20 league (ILT20). I also found that another T20 league, known as the Legends Premier League, is currently being staged in Sri Lanka.

While cricketers have been earning substantial sums of money by signing up for these subsidiary leagues, it is evident that they have been neglecting our very own brand, the HBL PSL. We must consider the potential challenges that may arise as a result of this trend. While the SAT20 has been around for a year or two and the UAE's ILT20 is gradually gaining popularity, we mustn't wait until it is too late to take action.

We must address these concerns as a matter of urgency and take steps to improve our league. Our focus should be on enhancing brand awareness and promoting the HBL PSL to attract the cricketers back to our league. Ultimately, it is our responsibility to ensure that our league remains competitive and that our brand is well-positioned for maximum impact. We must take action in the present to secure our future.

Our own media - our own self-detonated TNT bomb

Do you ever feel like the news is always talking about the same things over and over again? Recently, in Pakistan, there has been a lot of focus on whether Usman Khan will be chosen for the T20 World Cup team 🏏. This news is exciting, but other important issues need to be discussed.

News outlets give people what they want to see, but we, as viewers, can decide what we want to watch 📺. If we only show interest in player selection drama, then that is all we will get. It's time for us to take responsibility and demand more from the news.

Wouldn't it be great to hear stories about young athletes breaking records or teams overcoming great challenges 🏆? By switching the channel, we can change what we see in the news 🔄. The choice is ours.

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First T20i between England and Pakistan at Manchester

The first T20i games between the subjected teams, was washed out but Pakistan played the surprise card, but the fact is 2nd T20i is going to test the limits of current Pakistan contingent, hence what I have been listening off different cricketing websites who're praising Pakistan's performance, but I personally feel it is England who is going to come prepared to tackle Pakistan's bowling. 

Pakistan's going to take some strategic surprise tactic 

Because this is for sure, someone from England's dugout must be recording all of the clippings of Shadab, Imad and other bowlers hence Pakistan's bowling coach i.e. Waqar Younis should also act proactive and get the opposition be ready for some other surprise.

Fielding and batting

Pakistan requires to step up into their fielding because next two games are gonna be decided on the basis of which team scores, either by bat otherwise while fielding, and sorry to say England has the upper hand as their batting has been tested and bowling has not been played by Pakistani batsmen.

Speaking of Pakistani batsmen

I personally feel Pakistani batting looks shaky as unlike England, has not been tested yet, hence according to the Murphy's law, we should keep this aspect in mind as well. We have been Banking on Hafeez and Malik who're the most experienced personnel in current Pakistani team, otherwise I don't think Pakistan's think tank might take risk in placing some load over youngsters.

Work load management

One more thing, Pakistan needs a proper workload management strategy and just like England has been strict over destruction of bio-bubble, where it banned Jofra Archer for one game, so they opt for Curran, hence the same strategy Pakistan also requires so that our players do not take these things for granted, just like IPL Management did and now their dozen players have been diagnosed with Day-5 COVID-19 because according to their (IPL) SOP, Day one testing, day three testing and last testing before day six afterwards their players are going to participate in practice and afterwards the main tournament, but just before the third testing before 3rd testing, this catastrophe occurred, and hence their testing has been extended for 7 more days which is exactly 14 days of quarantine period, furthermore because of this incident, IPL 13 itinerary hasn't been finalized as of the timing of writing this blog article. Hence returning back to England v Pakistan, Pakistan think tank has to get rid of this nervousness and strike a rotation policy because the current pandemic situation also requires the same as if someone from our own camp gets this disease, we should have some alternative to it.

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What the Fuss about PSL and IPL?

Since the inception of league cricket, benefited the Indian Cricket on the whole, I remember it was 2005 Pakistan tour to India which Pakistan won and had the upper hand on their rivals, but since IPL was started in rival of Indian Cricket League or more commonly known by its acronyms ICL, was born to cater the fear of regular players not becoming the part of the rebel cricket league because the cricketing world had seen what changes Kerry Packer bought to the cricket.

The IPL

Being a Pakistani, I do not have much interest in IPL not because it is Indian League this and that but because;

Cons

1. No Pakistani players in the league, therefore no affection for me to watch this league without players from Pakistan.
2. Too much lengthy proposition for me to glued on my couch, two months of watching the league.
3. Too much emphasis on the money aspect instead of the cricket.

Pros

1. Benefited the Indian Cricket and its culture while mixing with players from different background and with different skills.
2. Indian Team fitness woes were address and now the newer breed of Indian Team is the fittest I have seen since 1999 when I actually started cricket with interest.
3. Indian Cricket Team is now well informed with opposition conditions and how to cater the same when needed.

Why need for PSL?

Like me, many Pakistanis opposed the need for PSL to be renamed as PPL or Pakistan Premier League because;

1. It reminded us that it is not a cricket league name but a Pipe Manufacturing Company name.
2. Keeping the aspect of something new, it would had made a monotone thing because the 4 main cricket leagues I remember are IPL, CPL, BPL, SLPL therefore Pakistan required some-branding instead of this monotone branding which the other leagues have already incorporated.

Needed for a softer image of Pakistan

I am flashbacked into the memory lane and it was around 2012 where I first heard the name of PSL amid recent outburst on SL Cricket Team at Lahore was afresh, therefore Pakistan needed to create a softer image of Pakistan because three years without cricket at home for Pakistan at Pakistan was something hampering Pakistani prospects, because Pakistan is generally known for inception of raw-talent into international cricket like Wasim and Waqar to be precise and Muhammad Amir at latest. But because of the SL team attack at Lahore, Pakistan was rated as the most dangerous country than Iraq where the US were bombing for WMD.

Pakistan required a genuine earning source of income

Continuous source of income is a blessing for any cricket board. Australia was benefited with the fact that Englishmen from England created a Cricketing Culture way back in late 1800's and Early 1900s when Melbourne Cricket Ground aka the MCG was not more than an Oval, but because this culture was made a constant thing in consistency, therefore what I read and what I heard from my friends living at Sydney, Melbourne and Hobart, even their school cricket has more crowd watching both on the Oval and on Television, and even during the weekends, cricketers go to school county ground, sign autographs and share them their experiences. Because of that not only the young breed is quick to learn, but also they are responsible for the crowd to watch their games on grounds or the Ovals. 

Therefore keeping the same background, Pakistan also required the same because no team was touring Pakistan so the gatepass, and matches income was diminished, while playing at UAE meant Pakistan forgot how to play on lively wickets, although it was nice of UAE for sharing their venues for Pakistan, but the fact is Pakistan required a source of income like we bankers use their Sundry Income accounts, the same is the case with PCB where it required a marginal income, which Pakistan achieved in staging PSL initially at UAE and from second season on-wards and gradually Pakistan was able to stage games at Pakistan, initially at Lahore and than in the third edition it were Lahore and final in Karachi.

Returning the game to Pakistan

This is another aspect for which it was required to stage PSL and that too in Pakistan because the crowd at Pakistan HAS affection with the team, which we weren't able to find in the UAE, therefore players also like playing in front of a lively crowd which we all saw during the PSL Final and than 3 T20I matches against the Windies, therefore Pakistan needed to step-on the fifth gear to initiate the financial, marketable and social aspect as well.

My question to the Indian YouTube Channel Owners

Why in the world, you start comparing your lucrative cricket league with a newbie version from Pakistan? The reasons behind inception of both leagues were different and had different circumstances. We as Pakistanis didn't originate this league to compete but to facilitate our cricketers and to give them the same environment and share the dressing room with different players from different background and cultures, plus to keep the balance intact in the region so that India do not play the 'Black-Michael' role in the region. Did we ever say that our miniature cricket league would able to compete with IPL? Even Najam Sethi clearly mentioned that it'll be 2nd league after IPL because IPL is 11 years old whereas PSL is 3, therefore the circumstances and purpose of both the leagues were and are varied so why in the world these Indian YouTube video channel owners are trying to compete and compare the two leagues, and even those Buffoons do not have the guts to see that the trophy was made by Swarovski, who're renowned crystal jewelers and I had heard in a YouTube video that it looked like a three years old craftsmanship. Get a Life guys, this league was not made for your satisfaction or for that reason to defame because as I repeatedly said and confirmed that PSL was solely made for these mentioned and main reason and not for competing with India, the Indian Cricket or the IPL.

Disclaimer: This post was not made to defame those Indians who're understanding and/or have good ties with me and other Pakistani, this was particularly reply to those Indians who have a mindset that PSL was originated contra to IPL.