The presence of the richest franchise league in cricket in Saudi Arabia might be seen as a good investment for the BCCI, offsetting the higher cost it may present in the short-term. This follows a Bloomberg report in 2023 which expressed Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman’s desire to invest in a stake in an IPL holding company.

According to a report by Cricbuzz, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has shortlisted the Saudi Arabian cities of Riyadh and Jeddah as the two most probable venues for the auction that is to be held across two days.

While pricing may not be a major concern, the logistics of hosting such a large-scale event in Saudi Arabia have complicated the decision-making process

The 'Big Auction' ahead of the next IPL season is tentatively set for late November in Saudi Arabia, despite higher costs than previous venue Dubai. Riyadh and Jeddah are potential locations, while London was dismissed due to winter in the UK.