The Indian Premier League expanded from eight teams to ten for the 2022 season with the introduction of Lucknow Super Giants and Gujarat Titans into the competition. The IPL had featured eight teams for nine years after Deccan Chargers and Pune Warriors India became defunct franchises in 2012 and 2013 respectively.
However, the demand for further games and for the tournament to spread into further regions of India prompted the selection of the Super Giants from Lucknow and the Titans from Ahmedabad.
Building a Franchise
Both sides were allowed to select three players, who were released from their previous teams before bolstering their ranks in the IPL Super Auction. Even though the other franchises in the IPL had a settled system, the Titans have made an early surge in their campaign. Gujarat are on course to finish in top spot in the standings that would allow them to secure an automatic place in Qualifier 1. Lucknow are not far behind in second place, completing a one-two for the two new franchises at the top of the IPL. It would be a remarkable achievement for the two new franchises to compete in the final considering that it has not been an easy journey for teams that are new to the league to achieve success.
Gujarat Lions finished second in the standings, but third overall in the tournament in 2016 in the previous iteration of an Ahmedabad franchise. Rising Pune Supergiant arrived in the same campaign and finished down in seventh, but were runners-up in the following season before exiting the IPL after serving as a replacement for Chennai Super Kings and Rajasthan Royals. The success of the Titans and the Super Giants could shape the future of the IPL, which is highly unusual for late-comers to the party as we’ve seen elsewhere in high-level sport, especially in the United States.
NBA Comparison
The NBA, which began as a collection of 11 teams, has grown into 30 franchises over the 76 years of its existence. The Boston Celtics and Los Angeles Lakers have been the most successful teams in the history of the NBA and were part of the original slate of sides to compete in the inaugural season. The Chicago Bulls have been the most successful side that was not part of the original group, although all of their six crowns came when Michael Jordan dominated the NBA in the 1990s. Outside of the Jordan era, the Bulls have been an average outfit.
The San Antonio Spurs have enjoyed longevity at the top since the arrival of Gregg Popovich on the sideline. It took time after joining the NBA in 1976 for the Spurs to reach the league’s pinnacle, but with Popovich and Tim Duncan combined, San Antonio reeled off five titles in a 15-year span between 1999 and 2013. The Spurs have fallen out of the reckoning without Duncan, Tony Parker and Kawhi Leonard, but they have left an NBA legacy during their tenure.
New Guard
Life has been more difficult for new teams in the modern era. There have been no new additions since 2004 when the Charlotte Hornets joined the ranks after previously losing their franchise to New Orleans in 2002. These newer sides have found life tough to compete with the more established units. The Memphis Grizzlies, New Orleans Pelicans, Minnesota Timberwolves, and the Orlando Magic have all failed to win a title, and have been fairly underwhelming during their NBA tenures.
The Miami Heat have shown a propensity to compete as a serious franchise after joining the league in 1988. They enjoyed a great run with LeBron James, Chris Bosh and Dwyane Wade, winning twice in two seasons in 2012 and 2013 along with their maiden crown with Wade as the centerpiece in 2006.
They reached the NBA Finals in 2020, only to lose against LeBron and the Lakers. However, they’re back again in contention in 2022 and have odds of 4/1 to win the crown for a fourth time (on May 6). Sports enthusiasts can read more on basketball betting to look at the other available prices outside of Miami, but Erik Spoelstra has ensured that the Heat have remained competitive at the top even without true star players. Miami are now entrenched in the heritage of the NBA alongside the Spurs and Bulls as core franchises that have roots and a passionate fanbase in their respective states. It would be a surprise if they were ever moved from their current spot due to their success.
Lessons for Gujarat and Lucknow
Gujarat and Lucknow were handed a tough task, but both have risen to the occasion in the first campaigns in the IPL. Even if their terms do not end in the ultimate success, they certainly have given themselves a platform.
The examples in the NBA have proven that titles are key to becoming entrenched in a major sports league, and those may have to come to ensure that they are a fixed part of the IPL for the next 20 years and beyond.