Wrestling

List of IPL Business Controversies

A list of major business and commercial controversies in the history of the Indian Premier League.

10 itemsUpdated Mar 30, 2026

Despite its massive commercial success, IPL has faced several business and governance controversies since its inception. These include franchise removals, spot-fixing allegations, media rights disputes, and BCCI governance issues that have shaped the league's regulatory history.

#	Name	Year	Teams	Outcome
1	IPL Spot-Fixing & Betting Scandal (2013) Chennai Super Kings / Rajasthan Royals Three CSK and two RR players were arrested for spot-fixing in 2013. CSK and RR were subsequently suspended for two seasons (2016–2017).	2013	CSK, RR	Two-season ban for both teams
2	Lalit Modi vs. BCCI – Founding Commissioner Ouster BCCI / IPL Governance IPL founder Lalit Modi was suspended and later sacked by BCCI in 2010 over alleged financial irregularities and conflict of interest.	2010	—	Suspended and removed as IPL Commissioner
3	Kochi Tuskers Kerala Franchise Termination (2011) Kochi Tuskers Kerala The Kochi Tuskers franchise was terminated by BCCI after one season over failure to comply with financial and governance requirements.	2011	—	Franchise terminated after 1 season
4	Deccan Chargers Termination (2012) Deccan Chargers Deccan Chargers franchise was terminated in 2012 by BCCI due to failure to submit a bank guarantee, leading to a protracted legal battle.	2012	—	Franchise terminated, legal dispute followed
5	N. Srinivasan Conflict of Interest – CSK & BCCI BCCI / CSK N. Srinivasan faced conflict of interest allegations as both BCCI president and CSK co-owner during the 2013 spot-fixing scandal.	2013	—	Supreme Court intervention, Lodha Committee reforms
6	IPL Media Rights Dispute – Sony vs. BCCI (2009) BCCI / Sony Entertainment BCCI's decision to shift IPL 2009 to South Africa and subsequent broadcast revenue disputes with Sony led to prolonged negotiations.	2009	—	Renegotiated broadcast deal
7	Fantasy Gaming Exit from IPL Sponsorships (2025-2026) IPL Franchise Sponsorships Several fantasy gaming brands stepped back from IPL sponsorships due to regulatory pressure and GST disputes, forcing teams to find new principal sponsors.	2025-2026	—	Teams signed new sponsors from different sectors
8	Mustafizur Rahman Exclusion – Bangladesh Player Ban Controversy (2026) BCCI / KKR BCCI requested KKR to release Bangladeshi player Mustafizur Rahman amid anti-India tensions in Bangladesh, sparking a diplomatic and sporting controversy.	2026	—	Player released, India-Bangladesh cricket ties strained
9	IPL 2010 Franchise Auction – Alleged Undisclosed Stakeholders BCCI / New Franchises The 2010 auction for new franchises (Pune and Kochi) was surrounded by allegations of undisclosed foreign stakeholders and political figures.	2010	—	Government inquiry, franchise scrutiny
10	Rajasthan Royals Ownership Dispute (2015) Rajasthan Royals Rajasthan Royals faced ownership disputes during their suspension period, with multiple parties claiming stakes in the franchise.	2015-2017	—	Ownership restructured before return in 2018

This list is compiled from verified public records and reference sources. Last verified: March 30, 2026.

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