Theres plenty going right with badminton at the moment. There are at least ten Indians playing tournaments across the globe at any point of time. In Olympic silver medalist PV Sindhu, the sport has an extremely popular icon. So if you were a marketer, the Premier Badminton League auction on November 9 might have seemed an easy product to sell. Yet at the convention center of a South Delhi five star hotel, where six teams of the Premier Badminton League (PBL) would bid for players for the third edition of the league, there was something else on everyones mind. The auction had been upended just a few hours earlier by a far bigger announcement. The previous evening, prime minister Narendra Modi declared that 500 and 1000 rupee notes were no longer legal tender. It was the start of whats been termed demonetization.The auction got completely hijacked by the issue. Some of the media who we expected to cover the league werent around because they were running around trying to make sense of this. We knew that things had changed, says Prasad Mandipudi, managing director of Sportslive, which owns the rights to the PBL.The governments decision was expected to have an impact - certainly in the short term - on the Indian economy. And indeed the alphabet soup of sporting leagues in India were not going to be immune to those changes. Within a few days, the Pro Wrestling League (PWL), scheduled to begin from December 15, was postponed to January. Last week Mahesh Bhupathis International Premier Tennis League (IPTL) announced that two of their biggest names - Roger Federer and Serena Williams - would not be returning to the league this year.We have had challenges this year, Bhupathi admitted. He blamed the current economic climate in India and uncertainty of spending money for the withdrawal of big names.Its an assessment shared by other sport leagues in the country too. 99 percent of organized sports are funded by the market scenario. I think we were the first guys to say ten days ago that demonetization has hit us really bad. Its time that everyone should be honest and talk about it, says an official associated with the PWL.There is no doubting that financially the leagues have been hit particularly since advertising spends - the primary source of revenues -- have fallen across the board. According to reported estimates, advertising will take a hit of between Rs. 1500 and 2000 crore this quarter.There is pain. Team owners are worried because sponsorships have dried up completely. Because for a company, spending on sports is last in terms of priority. Ive read a figure of Rs 5000 crore thats been cancelled for the next two quarters. So yes, it has had an impact, says Mandipudi.While the overall economic uncertainty is the predominant cause of concern, the shortage of hard cash - currency notes - is causing headaches as well. While leagues say that all athletes receive their payments through official banking channels, there are other costs that need to be taken care of as well.Twenty percent of my league budget is spent on travel and lodging. Another 20 percent goes in marketing. 60 percent of my budget is spent in operational costs. Thats money I need for buying equipment, security, labour etc. Operational costs are almost entirely conducted in cash. If you have some exigency, you are still going to need some cash. Suppose a light goes off, you will have to pay cash and get it replaced. If you have to get a stage made, you cant hope that the labourers will accept Paytm. Thats not happened yet, says the PWL official.Not all leagues are created equal and indeed some will weather the current economic climate better than others. It depends on what the owners are in the league for. Owning a team is very aspirational. Because if you have the intent to stick around in this business and if money is not a concern then you will not be bothered, says the official. He is referring to the Reliance-owned Indian Super League (ISL), which began before demonetization and has seemingly not been affected by it.There is more of a challenge?for smaller leagues. In order to cut costs, the PWL has shifted all its matches to Delhi. We cant overspend. The main objective is conducting the league and by shifting to Delhi we have halved our operational costs, says the official.But while the PWL has scaled down, Mandipudi has said there are no plans to do so for the PBL, which remains a multi-city tournament. This isnt to say they have found a loophole in the system.We have been able to go to the team owners and tell them that they will lose more money than they planned this time. We ourselves had to rewrite our expected profit and loss statements three times from what we began with. Some of the franchises have asked us to help out with their marketing costs and we have done that as well. We have accepted that we will take a hit but we will keep moving forward, he says.Mandipudi says after the initial shock, leagues are adapting to the change. A couple of days ago, the league had a press conference in Hyderabad on short notice. This would be one of the moments where cash might have been needed for an exigency.Usually the vendors - these are the guys who make the backdrop, the standees and photographers were paid in cash. This time around they have submitted their bills and given their account numbers, Mandipudi says.He adds that in the current scenario, leagues need to have credibility. I needed some T-Shirts for the press conference. I knew a vendor in Mumbai and he made the T shirts and couriered them to Hyderabad. In the past I would have had to pay a cash advance but this time around, he was willing to wait for his payment, he says.Mandipudi says that there are still some positives sports leagues can take away from the current climate.Normally the season between the festivals of Diwali (November) and Pongal (mid-January) is when advertisers make the most money. Now, since there have been so many cancellations, I can negotiate good terms with the TV guys, newspapers and hoarding guys to promote my own brand. The newspapers, TV guys will have to sell their ad space. I can get better value for my own budget, he says.Mandipudi believes ticket sales will pick up as well. Demonetisation doesnt make you poorer as an individual. Your cash is tied up in the banks but Im confident that my target market will not be affected. The audience for this league is urban, upper middle-class people who mostly buy tickets online, says Mandipudi, who expects to sell 70 percent of tickets for the league.The demonetization scenario is just a temporary bump on what Mandipudi calls the beginning of a growth curve. Do you think because of the current crisis, the corporate world will stop investing in the country? It doesnt mean that the Indian story is doomed. This league isnt a goose that you can make money off in a years time. It will take five years at least to see something out of it. Our team owners understand this as well, he says.Indeed if the events of the day of the auction are any clue, the PBL has reason to be hopeful. After some of the TV crews didnt come for the auction, they called me and asked if I had any video I could share. They still wanted to carry it on air, says Mandipudi. Wholesale Jordans Paypal . 8 Kansas to a 64-63 win over Texas Tech on Tuesday night. The freshman from Vaughan, Ont. 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The fantasy football playoffs have arrived, so lets bring that trophy home!Injuries to monitor in Week 14:WR Julio Jones -- toe (game-time decision)WR Mohamed Sanu -- groin (out)WR Michael Thomas -- footWR Marvin Jones?-- quadWR A.J. Green -- hammy (out)RB Mark Ingram -- toe / kneeRB Lamar Miller -- ankle / ribsRB Theo Riddick -- wristTE Jordan Reed -- shoulderNews and notes:QB Robert Griffin III -- will start for the the BrownsRB Jacquizz Rodgers -- will have an expanded role with BuccaneersRB Justin Forsett -- signed with the BroncosLocksQB: Jameis Winston @ New OrleansWinston has passed for over 3,000 yards this season and takes on a Saints defense that has allowed the second-most passing yards to quarterbacks. Winston averages 25 fantasy points per game when chucking the rock at home, and the Saints give up an average of 20 fantasy points to opposing gunslingers. Winston should be #ActiveAndAttractive in Week 14.(Others: Matthew Stafford vs. Chicago, Kirk Cousins @ Philadelphia)WR: Jordan Matthews vs. WashingtonMatthews returns from an ankle injury to take on a Washington secondary that is very kind to opposing receivers, especially those who play out of the slot. Matthews has a very favorable matchup against rookie Kendall Fuller. Expect a ton of targets and fantasy points from this Eagle.(Others: Larry Fitzgerald @ Miami, Emmanuel Sanders @ Tennessee, Golden Tate vs. Chicago, Tyrell Williams @ Carolina)RB: Jeremy Hill @ ClevelandHill is getting a ton of playing time with Giovani Bernard on injured reserve. Next up, the Browns, who allow over 125 yards per game to ball carriers. Hill destroyed Cleveland in Week 7 with 192 total yards. The Browns have given up the third-most fantasy points to running backs in 2016.(Others: Theo Riddick vs. Chicago, Robert Kelley @ Philadelphia, Thomas Rawls @ Green Bay)TE: Antonio Gates @?CarolinaGates is the Chargers top target in the red zone this season. In Week 14, he gets a great matchup against a Panthers defense that has given up nine touchdowns to opposing tight ends. Carolina has given up the fourth-most fantasy points to tight ends in 2016.(Others: Jason Witten @ New York Giants, Zach Ertz vs. Washington)FlopsQB: Blake Bortles vs. MinnesotaBortles passer rating under pressure is 9.8, and the Vikings bring A LOT of pressure. Minnesota has the fourth-ranked defense in the NFL and has given up the third-fewest fantasy points to quarterbacks this season..WR: Julio Jones @ Los AngelesJones suffered a turf toe injury in Week 13.dddddddddddd Word out of Atlanta is that he will be a game-time decision. Even if he does play, my gut is telling me he wont be anything more than a decoy. Jones is a huge risk in Week 14.RB: Doug Martin vs. New OrleansMartin played only about half of the Buccaneers offensive snaps in Week 13. The Bucs plan to activate Charles Sims and give Jacquizz Rodgers touches as well. The Tampa Bay backfield just got way too crowded for me to trust Martin, who is averaging fewer than 3 yards per carry in three of his past four games.TE: Kyle Rudolph @ JacksonvilleRudolph has three straight games without a touchdown. He faces a Jacksonville team this week that has allowed only 5.2 fantasy points a game to tight ends in 2016. The Jaguars defense has allowed just three opposing tight ends to score through 12 games.SleepersQB: Andy Dalton @ ClevelandDalton has a juicy matchup against the 29th-ranked Browns defense. Dalton passed for over 300 yards and two scores in Week 7 against Cleveland. Will history repeat itself? I believe so. The Browns have given up the second-most fantasy points to quarterbacks this season.(Honorable mention: Colin Kaepernick vs. New York Jets)WR:?Willie Snead?@ Tampa BaySnead faces a Bucs defense that allows a lot of fantasy points to wide receivers each week. Michael Thomas is dealing with a toe injury, so Snead is due to be a target monster. I love his matchup out of the slot against Vernon Hargreaves. Snead is a great sleeper play for Week 14.(Honorable mentions: Dontrelle Inman @ Carolina, Taylor Gabriel @ Los Angeles, Kenny Britt vs. Atlanta, Tyler Boyd @ Cleveland)RB: Isaiah Crowell vs. CincinnatiThe Bengals allowed 79 total yards and a touchdown to Crowell in Week 7. Crowell is being utilized more in the Browns passing attack of late. Cincinnati has given up the ninth-most fantasy points to running backs this season.(Honorable mention: Shane Vereen vs. Dallas)TE: Cameron Brate vs. New OrleansBrate has become the second receiving option for the Bucs after?Mike Evans. His role continues to expand, and he has a nice matchup against a Saints defense that ranks 24th against opposing tight ends this season.(Honorable mentions: Ladarius Green @ Buffalo, C.J. Fiedorowicz @ Indianapolis)Good luck in Week 14! ' ' '
