Its massive IPL revenue comes from broadcasting deals, sponsorships, and ticket sales, and it is watched by millions of fans.
In 2023, the Women’s Premier League (WPL) was launched. This was an important step for women’s cricket in India, similar to the growth highlighted in Fastest Fifty In WPL.
Both IPL and WPL are run by the BCCI and use auctions to select players. However, there is a big difference in how much money these two leagues make and how much players earn. This article explains the salary and revenue difference between IPL and WPL in a simple way.
What Is IPL and WPL?
The IPL started in 2008 as a men’s T20 cricket league. It brought together cricket and entertainment, with city based teams and star players from around the world.
Over the years, it has become one of the richest sports leagues globally, mainly because of huge TV and digital deals.
The WPL started in 2023 and is India’s first full franchise league for women’s cricket. It began with five teams and follows the IPL model.
While it is still new, the league aims to give women cricketers better pay, visibility, and long term career opportunities.
IPL vs WPL Salary Comparison
The biggest difference between IPL and WPL is player salaries.
The WPL pays women players more than any other women’s cricket league in the world. Still, IPL players earn much more than WPL players.
IPL Salary Structure Explained
The IPL salary cap has increased a lot since 2008. In recent seasons, teams are allowed to spend around ₹100 crore to build their squad.
Player salaries depend on Past performance , Demand in the auction , Availability for the full season
Top Indian and overseas players can earn ₹15–20 crore or more in one season. Some players, like Mitchell Starc and Pat Cummins, have crossed ₹20 crore.
Even uncapped Indian players often earn more than experienced players in other leagues.
WPL Salary Structure Explained
The WPL also uses an auction system, but on a smaller scale.
- Initial team budget: ₹12 crore
- Current team budget: ₹13.5 crore
- Highest reserve price for capped players: ₹50 lakh
- Highest auction buy so far: ₹3.4 crore (Smriti Mandhana)
While these numbers are much lower than IPL salaries, they are a big step forward for women’s cricket. Many WPL players earn more than what they get from national contracts.
The highest auction buy so far was Smriti Mandhana, making her the expensive player, a big milestone for women’s cricket.
Difference Between IPL and WPL Salaries
The salary gap between IPL and WPL is large.
A top IPL player earns about 6–7 times more than the highest paid WPL player.
This gap exists because:
- IPL has been around for 15+ years
- It has a global fan base
- It earns massive TV and sponsorship money
The WPL is still new. As it grows, adds more teams, and attracts more viewers, player salaries are expected to increase.
IPL vs WPL Revenue Comparison
Player salaries depend on how much money a league earns. Both IPL and WPL collect revenue centrally and then share it with teams.
How IPL Generates Revenue
The IPL makes money from many sources, with media rights being the biggest. You can read a detailed explanation of IPL franchises make money through broadcasting, sponsorships, and merchandise.
The 2023-2027 media rights were sold for INR 48,390 crore ($6.2 billion USD) to Disney Star (TV) and Viacom18 (digital), making teams profitable.
Other ways the IPL earns money include:
- Title Sponsors: Big companies like Tata Group pay yearly for this.
- Ticket Sales: Money from full stadiums.
- Merchandise: Selling team jerseys and other items.
- Central Sponsors: Brands pay to sponsor things like umpiring and awards.
How WPL Generates Revenue
The WPL also had a strong financial start.
- Media rights for first 5 years were sold for ₹951 crore
- Tata became the title sponsor
- Five teams were sold for a total of ₹4,669 crore
Although the number of matches is small, the league was financially stable from its first season.
IPL vs WPL Revenue Breakdown
To visualize the scale, here is a comparison of key financial metrics:
| Metric | IPL (Approximate) | WPL (Approximate) |
|---|---|---|
| Media Rights Value (5 Years) | INR 48,390 Crore | INR 951 Crore |
| Value Per Match | ~INR 118 Crore | ~INR 7 Crore |
| Title Sponsorship | ~INR 2500 Crore (5 years) | ~INR On-going deal |
| Team Purse (Salary Cap) | INR 100 Crore | INR 13.5 Crore |
| Number of Teams | 10 | 5 |
Why IPL Earns More Than WPL
The IPL earns more because:It has more matches . It has been running for many years. Men’s cricket has a larger audience
More matches mean more ads, more ticket sales, and more TV revenue. The WPL is still building its audience and will need time to reach IPL level earnings.
The financial strength of the league is also reflected in the wealth of IPL team owners, many of whom are major business groups.
Viewership Impact on Salary and Revenue
Viewership brings in money. With over 500 million viewers and record digital streaming numbers, the IPL allows broadcasters to charge high prices for ads, helping fund big media deals.
The WPL’s first season showed promise, especially with free digital streaming that attracted younger viewers. For the WPL to grow, it needs more viewers over time.
More viewers mean bigger media deals, larger team budgets, and higher player salaries. In the end, the WPL’s success depends on building a steady audience for live games and broadcasts.
Conclusion
The IPL and WPL are at different stages. The IPL is already a global giant, while the WPL is a new, fast growing league for women’s sports. Even though the IPL makes much more money right now, the WPL is off to a great start.
In fact, the WPL started with more money than the IPL did back in 2008. Today, top female cricketers earn as much as big company bosses.
As more sponsors join and more people watch, the WPL will keep growing. It will take time to become as big as the IPL, but the WPL has a very strong future.
