Andhra Premier League runs into rough weather

The existing franchise owners of the Andhra Premier League question the fresh Expression of Interest (EOI) inviting new franchises, accusing the ACA of violating every assurance and resolution previously given to them

Hyderabad: The existing franchise owners of the Andhra Premier League questioned the decision of the Andhra Cricket Association top brass to issue a fresh Expression of Interest (EOI) inviting new franchises—effectively ignoring and undermining the six original teams that have built the league from scratch over the past three years.

In a joint statement on Wednesday, these owners said they were instrumental in launching the league in 2022 and have accused the ACA of violating every assurance and resolution previously given to them.

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“We claim to have collectively invested over Rs 30 crore in team development, talent scouting, grassroots cricket, and fan engagement, only to be blindsided by a decision that could dismantle the league’s very foundation,” the owners pointed out.

“This isn’t just betrayal. This is a daylight ambush,” said a senior representative of the franchise group. “We were promised 18-year ownership, confirmed in ACA’s official AGM minutes and communications last year. Now, without any notice or discussion, they’ve called for new bids—including our existing zones,” he said.

The owners further alleged that the new ACA office-bearers were attempting to bring in their own close associates, family members, and business affiliates through this EOI process, while pushing out those who took the risk and stayed loyal during the league’s formative years.

“There is no transparency. No process. No respect for institutional memory or investor confidence,” said another franchise stakeholder. “If this is how cricket is to be governed in Andhra Pradesh, we fear not only for our teams but for the future of the League and the sport,” the owners said.

“Documents reviewed by the franchises reportedly include prior resolutions passed by the ACA Governing Council in March 2024 and ratified at the 71st Annual General Meeting in May 2024, clearly assuring the extension of rights to existing franchises. A written communication from the ACA Secretary dated July 2024 explicitly confirmed these terms. The sudden shift—issuing EOIs without cancelling existing arrangements or clarifying the status of current teams—raises serious legal and ethical questions,” the owners explained.

The stakeholders have submitted a formal representation to the ACA, demanding a stay on the EOI process and full clarification of the roadmap for the league.

Simultaneously, they are preparing to approach the High Court through a writ petition, challenging the legality and malafide intent behind the ACA’s actions.

“We are not against expansion or reform. But what is happening is not reform—it’s favouritism dressed up as governance,” the group added in their joint statement. “The cricketing community deserves better. Players deserve continuity. Investors deserve respect. And the fans deserve the truth,” the owners said.

Interestingly, the owners also claimed that the ACA has not officially responded to the concerns raised. “The silence, stakeholders say, speaks volumes. If the EOI process is not stayed or rectified, the league—once heralded as Andhra’s answer to professional domestic cricket—may soon collapse under the weight of its own mismanagement,” they said.

“And with it, the dreams of hundreds of young cricketers, coaches, and communities who saw APL as a beacon of opportunity,” the owners said.