Harsha Bhogle questions IPL’s social media obsession, says it is “starting to harm players”

"Harsha Bhogle has raised concerns over the growing obsession of Indian Premier League franchises with social media, warning that the relentless chase for clicks and engagement is beginning to negatively impact players. Speaking in a video shared on Instagram, Bhogle says he has been “dismayed” by what he sees as an increasing shift in priorities among IPL teams, with digital content operations becoming deeply embedded within franchises. “My moment of greatest dismay,” Bhogle says in the video. “The near surrender of IPL teams to social media and the resultant invitation to trolls. Things are getting ugly.” The veteran cricket commentator goes on to describe a recent anecdote shared with him about IPL team logistics. “The other day someone was telling me, they saw the buses come in. First bus with the players, second bus with the support staff, families, etc, and then a separate bus for the digital team,” he says.

Bhogle argues that franchises are increasingly driven by the pressure to constantly generate engagement online, often encouraging players to create provocative or viral moments for social platforms. “You are constantly chasing clicks. You are constantly chasing likes. You are constantly looking for provocative material,” he says. “You are constantly goading players on to produce provocative material.” According to Bhogle, this environment can become problematic because players are not always equipped to navigate the pressures and scrutiny that come with the internet"s attention economy. “And the players, they play cricket where they are not always in control of what they are doing. They are not always very savvy,” he says. “So we are seeing some things come out that shouldn"t.” Bhogle also questioned whether IPL franchises are beginning to behave more like digital media entities than sporting organisations. “I looked at some things and I said, are IPL franchises cricket teams, or are these franchises social media entities in a relentless search for audiences, for likes, for constantly putting camera everywhere, for constantly picking up things, for constantly pushing things out?” he says.

While clarifying that he has “nothing against influencers”, Bhogle says the increasing prominence of influencer culture within franchises is becoming concerning. “I have seen a very alarming trend towards focusing on social media and getting the social media influencers in,” he says. “I have nothing against influencers, look times are changing, you are very good at what you do. But making that the focus is a worry and it is starting to harm players already.” Bhogle"s comments come at a time when IPL franchises are investing heavily in digital content ecosystems, influencer collaborations and behind-the-scenes access to deepen fan engagement and expand audiences beyond live cricket broadcasts. Over the past few seasons, franchises have increasingly turned players into content creators, with locker room clips, banter videos, meme-led marketing and influencer integrations becoming central to how teams market themselves online. The strategy has often translated into massive social media growth and sponsorship opportunities, but Bhogle"s remarks highlight the growing unease around where the line between sport and content creation should be drawn."