Cricket Administration's Story and Blockchain's Ledger: What Is Changing in Indian Sports

The story of cricket administration and blockchain's ledger: what is changing in Indian sports Sitting in the gallery of a Delhi stadium, I have often watched commentary run alongside the match about the club's accounts. How much a player was bought for, what a player's salary is, where the revenue of a tournament has gone. Since I started writing cricket after coming to India from Bangladesh, these accounting stories are what I remember most. The passion of the match is there, but to understand what happens behind the closed doors, it took me a long time. In this context, many people are now hearing about a technology called blockchain. But what it is and how it can be used in the Indian cricket system, there is still much confusion about it. Blockchain is essentially a decentralized digital ledger. Many computers in a network store the information of the same transaction, so a single person cannot easily change it. Its application in cricket could be in maintaining records of player contracts, ticket sales, transfer fees and sponsorships. The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has already moved towards digital ticketing and fan token systems. The International Cricket Council has also experimented with blockchain-based data storage for match analysis. The potential for blockchain in Indian cricket is high because the volume of transactions here is huge. A single season of the Indian Premier League earns thousands of crores of rupees. If such a large amount of accounting is held in a centralized system, the possibility of errors or discrepancies remains. In blockchain, each transaction is documented with time and date, thereby increasing transparency. In my experience, if spectators know at the time of buying a ticket that the money has reached the club directly, their trust will increase. Similarly, if the accounting of a player's salary and bonus is transparent, disputes within the team will decrease. However, there are some practical challenges here. Running a blockchain system requires electricity, internet and skilled technical personnel. It is not easy for small clubs or district associations to bear such costs. Another major issue is power consumption. A blockchain network requires many computers to verify each other, which increases electricity consumption. From an environmental perspective, this is an important issue. Another issue is control. In a centralized system, the BCCI or an IPL franchise makes decisions, but in blockchain, decisions may be made by the collective vote of the network participants. Although this distributes power, making quick decisions may become difficult. In a fast-paced game like cricket, this delay could be a problem. My own analysis of what the impact of blockchain will be in Indian cricket is that it will gradually but surely make an impact. First in ticketing and fan engagement, later in contract and transfer management. However, it will not become a complete alternative; rather, it will work alongside the existing system. The greatest benefit for spectators will be transparency. If the ticket money goes directly to the club, if the accounting of a player's bonus is open to all, then trust in the game will increase. I have been writing cricket for 64 years, and my attitude towards every new technology is cautious but hopeful. If blockchain is used properly, it can make cricket more democratic. But for this, documented decisions, long-term planning and the inclusion of small stakeholders are required. From the gallery of the Delhi stadium, I am now waiting for the day when spectators will know where their money is going at the very moment of buying a ticket. That transparency will be blockchain's greatest contribution.