India, March 22 -- The Indian Premier League's growth trajectory has been phenomenal. Every media rights revision has exceeded expectations with continuing demand among investors to join the elite club of IPL franchise owners.

"In such a short span of time, it has become the number two sporting league in the world. We want to take that legacy forward and make sure that in times to come, IPL becomes the No.1 sporting league," IPL chairman Arun Dhumal told HT on Saturday as the 18th edition of IPL got underway.

Lofty ambition it may be, but BCCI is not in a hurry. NFL, the world's leading sporting league in the US is played over an 18-week window spanning 272 matches and involving 32 teams. Its latest media rights deal was reportedly wort...