Their experience in the business of sport has been outstanding, and that was what prompted the decision to bid for the Pune franchise in the IPL, said Sanjiv Goenka, whose R.P. Sanjiv Goenka Group of Companies acquired the new outfit on Tuesday.
New Rising, the entity that won the rights to the Pune franchise, will be a wholly- owned subsidiary of the Goenka Group of Companies.
“The experience with the business in sport has been outstanding, and that motivated me to go for the IPL bidding,” Goenka said, after the names of the successful bidders were announced. I had bid for the Kolkata franchise at the start of the IPL but Shah Rukh Khan’s bid was marginally more than mine,” he added.
Goenka, who is one of prime owners in the consortium that owns Atletico de Kolkata in the Indian Super League, said his experience with the football franchise had given him the confidence to make a foray into cricket.
“We took the opportunity when it came to us. Cricket is an established sport in the country while football is evolving. The challenges are different as they are two different sports,” Goenka said, when asked how he sought to replicate the success he had enjoyed with the ISL franchise, which won the inaugural title while making it to the semifinals this season.
When asked about the possibility of involving former Indian cricket captain Sourav Ganguly in the management of his IPL venture, Goenka said he “may or may not be included.”
Ganguly is a co-owner in the ATK franchise, and his name cropped up when the city-based conglomerate owned by Goenka acquired an IPL franchise.
“We have not thought of anything right now. The process of forming the franchise management will start now. The core may or may not include the Atletico de Kolkata officials,” Goenka said.
“I am not in a position to say anything now.”
Ganguly is the president of Cricket Association of Bengal, a member of the IPL governing council and is the chairman of the technical committee of the BCCI.
Goenka also remained vague on the possibility of acquiring the services of the Indian limited-overs captain M.S. Dhoni.
“He is a great cricketer and a leader; that is all I can say about him. We are yet to formulate any plans about the team. It will be done by professionals who will be in the management of the franchise,” he said.
