Faking news: SET Max to telecast IPL fights instead of IPL matches

After the Shah Rukh Khan fracas at the MCA created headlines, SET Max, the television channel showing IPL matches to the Indian audiences, has decided to broadcast programmes on IPL controversies instead of cricket matches, as the former were appreciated and talked about more by the common man and media.

“It all started with Harbhajan Singh slapping Sreesanth in the first season, which became the talk of the tournament,” said Ajay Guha of SET Max, recalling the original relationship between controversies and the IPL.

The official pointed out that the second season saw a fight between the government and IPL commissioner Lalit Modi, which resulted in the tournament being organised in South Africa. The third season saw Lalit Modi fighting it out with Shashi Tharoor and both of them losing their respective jobs.

“Last year, we didn’t have any major fights in the IPL as the government was busy fighting Anna Hazare and cricket fans were happy with the world cup victory, so they ignored minor controversies,” Ajay said.

“But the fights are back now; Shah Rukh Khan is fighting with securitymen at the Wankhede and Luke Pomersbach is fighting with a couple in a hotel,” he added.

Realising that fights and controversies were integral part of the tournament, the television channel has decided to come up with special programs showcasing all the darker aspects of the IPL.
 

“We could call it IPL Fights on the lines of IPL Nights and we are hopeful of getting sponsors,” Guha hoped, “Toothpastes claiming to fight germs can sponsor such program — one such toothpaste has Shah Rukh Khan as brand ambassador — what can be a better brand placement?”

The TV channel is also planning to give sponsored awards to players, officials, or anyone associated with IPL who are found indulged in fights and controversies.

“We can have an MTV Roadies Award for the player who sledges or abuses the most, while we can announce the Arnab Goswami Award for the player that shows maximum outrage over umpiring decisions,” Guha proposed.

“We can even ask players like Virat Kohli to sponsor such awards!” he added as an afterthought.

SET Max is planning to produce and air these programmes this season itself as they don’t want to miss on the controversies already generated.

“There were allegations of match-fixing also, and we feared that we could lose the patronage of those viewers who believe in genuine encounters,” Guha said. “But we hope to win back these viewers as fights off the ground appear to more engaging and genuine than the fight on the ground.”

Rahul Roushan thinks he can make some sense through nonsense. He attempts the same through his news satire website www.fakingnews.com inbox@dnaindia.net