With the IPL suspended, its broadcast and streaming rights holder JioStar on Friday said the company stands firmly committed to prioritise national interest over all other considerations, while extending support to the government and armed forces. The company said it will work with the BCCI to bring back IPL, which has been suspended for a week because of the deepening military confrontation between India and Pakistan, at an appropriate time. “We, at JioStar, wholeheartedly support the BCCI’s decision to suspend IPL 2025 and stand firmly committed to prioritise national interest over all other considerations.
“At this time, we must stand united with our country, support the government and our armed forces, and extend solidarity and support to the civilians affected,” the company said in a statement.
It further said, “We will work with the BCCI to bring back the tournament at an appropriate time.” JioStar will work closely with all stakeholders to ensure the transition is managed in a seamless manner and everyone involved in the tournament broadcast returns home safely, it added.
Supporting the decision to suspend IPL, Rediffusion Chairman Sandeep Goyal said, “national interest comes first” and it is both “about security and semantics”.
“While our soldiers are fighting the enemy on the battlefield, risking their lives, you can’t have a stadium full chanting for sixes. The nation’s mood is sombre and serious – and it is right everyone closes ranks,” he added.
Goyal, however, said, “The broadcaster will surely have a force majeure clause – insurance will cover any losses…For brands, news channels will become the natural choice (to advertise) but for most it will be mostly wait-and-watch.” Nuvama Institutional Equity Executive Director Abneesh Roy said as most of the IPL is over and only a small number of matches is left, “we don’t see this as significant impact, more of sentimentally negative” on stocks of SUN TV and United Spirits, which have IPL teams Sunrisers Hyderabad and Royal Challengers Bangalore respectively.
The Indian Premier League (IPL) was on Friday suspended because of the deepening military confrontation between India and Pakistan with the BCCI saying that national interest trumps other considerations at a time when the country is responding to a terror attack and unwarranted aggression from across the border.
A cloud of uncertainty had loomed over the future of the ongoing edition since the cancellation of Thursday’s match between Punjab Kings and Delhi Capitals in Dharamsala midway following air raid alerts in neighbouring cities of Jammu and Pathankot.
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)
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