Owing to the 2019 General Elections in India, the next season of Indian Premier League (IPL) is most likely to be shifted to UAE. The IPL 2019, as per the revealed schedule, is going to take place from March 29 to May 19 which is around the same time as the Lok Sabha Elections. IPL in UAE
Security needed for Elections
The main reason is that during elections, the security force will be deployed to handle the crowd of voters and hence the security for IPL would be difficult to manage. Interestingly, the same scenario has occurred earlier in 2009 and in 2014.
UAE is a viable option
Although there is no official confirmation as of now, it seems like UAE is a feasible option as the first half of IPL 2014 was played there. As per IPL Chairman Rajeev Shukla, UAE is definitely an option but the final call will be taken after taking into account the views of all stakeholders.
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Other Possibilities
However, there are other conditions in the scenario as well. IPL in UAE
If only a few matches of the league are to be shifted outside India, UAE would be more viable. But if the entire season has to be organised abroad then it could be moved to South Africa.
Further, there is one more possibility. If the Lok Sabha elections are organised at an early date, the Indian Premier League could be well organised in India without any shifting of the venue.
2009 and 2014 Seasons of IPL in UAE
While the 2009 IPL edition took place in South Africa, the 2014 season was organised in UAE for the first half portion. Reportedly BCCI has even discussed the issue with UAE. Notably, the time difference between India and UAE is just half an hour and with South Africa it is 3 and a half hours. This is why BCCI is reluctant to choose SA as the venue.
What it means for Audience IPL in UAE
IPLs are always exciting and garner a lot of views in India. As the matches are played in different states throughout the country, people can easily watch the game at stadiums. However, shifting the matches outside India would imply that lesser people would be able to travel to such a long distance to cheer for their favorite teams. IPL in UAE
 is most likely to be shifted to UAE. The IPL 2019, as per the revealed schedule, is going to take place from March 29 to May 19 which is around the same time as the Lok Sabha Elections.){kind=link}