Since its launch in 2023, the Women’s Premier League (WPL) has transformed the landscape of women’s cricket in India.
Backed by strong broadcast numbers, packed stadiums at selected venues, and world-class players, the league has proven its commercial and sporting value. However, one question continues to surface every season: why doesn’t the WPL follow a full home-and-away format like the IPL?
Using data and trends from previous WPL seasons, this article explains in detail why the league has consciously avoided this system so far.
Tournament Size and Match Volume: A Major Limitation
The WPL operates with five teams, each playing eight league matches, resulting in 20 league games and four playoff matches. That means the entire tournament is completed in 24 matches across roughly three weeks.
In comparison, a home-and-away format ideally requires:
- At least 7–10 home games per team
- A season length of 6–8 weeks
- Enough fixtures to justify operational costs in each city
With only four home matches per team at best, distributing games across five different cities would dilute scheduling efficiency and significantly increase expenses without proportional revenue growth.
Looking at crowd trends from earlier WPL seasons shows why venue consolidation has been preferred.
- High-profile matches involving Mumbai Indians, Royal Challengers Bangalore, and Delhi Capitals regularly drew 20,000+ spectators at select venues.
- Matches involving newer or lower-profile teams showed uneven attendance, even at neutral venues.
- Weekend games recorded nearly 30–40% higher attendance compared to weekday fixtures.
If all teams were given fixed home venues: Some cities would host weekday matches with less than 50% stadium occupancy Television visuals and match atmosphere could suffer, affecting broadcast appeal.
Centralized venues ensured that matches were scheduled in cities with proven turnout, maintaining consistent crowd energy.
Revenue Reality: Ticket Sales vs Costs: Ticket revenue contributes only a small fraction of WPL income compared to media rights.
Approximate revenue split in early seasons:
- Broadcast & digital rights: over 75%
- Sponsorships: around 15–18%
- Ticket sales & merchandise: less than 7%
A home-and-away system would increase:
- Stadium rental costs
- Security and operations expenses
- Local marketing and promotions
- Travel and accommodation outlay
Given that ticket revenue is still limited, franchises would struggle to recover these additional costs from home matches alone. During early WPL seasons, teams stayed in one or two cities for the entire tournament. This reduced travel to a minimum.
If a home-and-away model were used:
- Teams would travel between cities every 2–3 days
- Players would log 4–6 inter-city flights in under three weeks
- Recovery time between matches would drop by nearly 25–30.
Data from workload monitoring showed that injury-prone fast bowlers and all-rounders benefited significantly from reduced travel and stable match conditions.
Pitch Consistency and Match Quality: One of the strengths of WPL has been competitive balance.
Past season statistics show:
- Average first-innings score: 150–155
- Matches decided in the final over: over 35%
- Successful run chases: almost 50%
A home-and-away system would introduce sharp pitch variations, giving some teams a disproportionate advantage while others struggled due to limited squad depth.
Broadcasting Efficiency and Production Data. WPL broadcasts are produced with: Multiple camera angles, High-definition slow motion and advanced analytics and graphics
Central venues reduced setup duplication. Production teams operated from one base, saving several crore rupees per season.For a league still building its global image, consistent broadcast standards were prioritised.
Interestingly, the IPL itself did not achieve its full potential immediately.
- IPL Season 1 had 8 teams, 59 matches, and a 6-week window
- Even then, several franchises struggled with attendance consistency
- Infrastructure and fan loyalty matured over 5–7 seasons
The WPL is still in its foundational cycle, and expecting it to mirror IPL’s structure too early could risk overexpansion.
Past season data clearly shows that the absence of a home-and-away system in the WPL is not a weakness but a calculated decision rooted in numbers and long-term planning. Limited match volume, uneven attendance, high operational costs, player workload concerns, and broadcast logistics all point toward centralized venues being the most efficient model for now.
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As the league grows in scale, revenue, and fan loyalty, the foundation being built today will eventually support a full home-and-away structure. Until then, the WPL’s cautious, data-driven approach remains its strongest asset.
