BCCI’s IPL profits untaxed, research pays GST: Bengaluru professor calls for policy change
A Bengaluru professor has made a case for taxing the IPL, saying the billions generated by the cricketing extravaganza could be redirected to fund research and innovation in India. Professor Mayank Shrivastava of the Indian Institute of Science (IISc) Bengaluru shared a thought-provoking LinkedIn post questioning why entertainment is subsidised in India while research is taxed.
Shrivastava noted that the IPL earned a record Rs.5,120 crore surplus in 2023, with total income touching a staggering Rs.11,770 crore. Despite this, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) did not pay any tax, as it enjoys tax exemptions under charitable status.
Meanwhile, research institutes in India pay tax on everything from lab equipment to software licenses. “Entertainment is subsidized. Research is taxed,” wrote the IISc professor.
A case for taxing IPL
In his post, Shrivastava questions why the Indian Premier League (IPL) — one of the world's most lucrative sports leagues — remains largely untaxed, while research institutions continue to pay steep levies on basic equipment and software.
He backed his case for taxing the IPL with numbers - the IISc professor pointed out that IPL 2024 and 2025 estimate annual revenues are projected to reach Rs.12,000 to 13,500 crore. “And that’s just one part of the larger earnings ecosystem,” he wrote, noting how IPL franchises also enjoy tax breaks.
