Will Product Quality Suffer?
This fear is overstated.
-
PSL franchises are brand extensions, not core revenue engines.
-
Pakistan’s solar market—where Inverex operates—is orders of magnitude larger than PSL franchise profits.
-
Well-run groups isolate sports operations via dedicated management arms, protecting core businesses.
If anything, a solar-backed franchise could pioneer energy-efficient stadiums, sustainability branding, and tech-driven fan engagement.
Faisalabad & Sialkot vs Past PSL Ownership Models
PSL history offers lessons:
-
Karachi Kings / Lahore Qalandars: Big-city glamour, early overvaluation, slow fan monetization.
-
Multan Sultans: Ownership turbulence, then stabilization—yet still questions around value for money.
-
Quetta Gladiators / Peshawar Zalmi: Leaner operations, stronger identity, smarter branding.
Second-tier mega-cities like Faisalabad and Sialkot offer something different:
-
Lower operating costs
-
Intense regional loyalty
-
Untapped commercial upside
Handled right, they can outperform legacy teams on engagement per rupee.
The Ali Khan Tareen Problem: Money Without Marketing?
No PSL ownership debate is complete without Ali Khan Tareen.
Publicly acknowledged figures around Multan Sultans—Rs. 63 crore, Rs. 110 crore annually—raise a blunt question: what is the PCB delivering in return?
When franchise fees rival prime DHA real estate, yet league-wide digital marketing remains mediocre, something is broken. Social media reach, narrative building, and international positioning lag far behind the fees extracted.
