Why are LED Stumps so Expensive? | The High Cost of Innovation
The cost of LED stumps is worth more than an SUV car!
On Saturday, April 22, 2023, Punjab Kings pacer Arshdeep Singh bowled the most expensive last over in the IPL 2023 — not in terms of runs but actual money.
What?
Yes, you read that right.
Arshdeep broke the LED middle stump not once but twice on consecutive deliveries against the Mumbai Indians. Both deliveries were pretty similar that the ball hit the stumps where the camera is placed, resulting in it breaking into two pieces.
Just look at this picture; the stump mic is flying out of the stump.
This was the first time that I saw stumps being broken by a pacer on successive deliveries.
With that, social media was flooded with people asking about the cost of these LED stumps.
And if you are one of them, look no further. Here I am breaking it down for you.
Before I tell you the cost of the LED stumps, let’s talk a bit about its invention.
Invention and technology
Bronte EcKermann — a former Australian grade cricketer and engineer — invented the LED stumps in 2012. He and his business partner, David Leggitwood, founded Zing International in Australia.
EcKermann — Director of Zing International — came up with the idea of LED bails (placed on top of the stumps) after getting inspired by one of his daughter’s toys, which was similar to a cricket bail and contained LED lights.
Traditionally, stumps and bails are made from wood, but since the invention of LED stumps, wooden stumps and bails are used less in international cricket.
While the LED stumps are made from composite plastic, they are embedded with LED lights, a stump camera, and a microphone.
Moreover, the Zing bails are powered by hidden low-voltage batteries. They consist of microprocessors that detect when the bails are dislodged from the stump’s rim.
The bails light up within 1/1000th of a second once they come in contact with the ball, bat, or any player. Then the microprocessor sends a radio signal to the stumps, which prompts them to light up.
All this complex technology makes LED stumps expensive.
Use of LED stumps in cricket
These innovative stumps were first used in 2013 in the Big Bash League of Australia. After this, in July 2013, the International Cricket Council approved the use of LED stumps in international cricket.
Later, the ICC introduced LED stumps in the 2014 T20 World Cup in Bangladesh. This got a positive response from the cricket fraternity. Since then, the ICC has used these stumps in all major ICC tournaments across the world.
On the other hand, the national boards also used these sophisticated stumps for their bilateral series as well as for T20 franchise leagues such as the IPL, BBL, The Hundred, etc.
Easier decision making
Now, these LED stumps have made the umpire’s lives a bit easier. How?
See, with the traditional stumps and bails, it was hard to detect if the bails had been dislodged in real time. And even with the help of the third-umpire, it took some time to make the correct decision.
But that’s not the case anymore. The LED stumps are clearly visible in low-light conditions as well as from a long distance.
Moreover, they start glowing as soon as the bails are broken. Thus, making it easier for the on-field umpires and the third umpire to make the right calls in tight situations, such as stumpings and runouts.
The cost of LED stumps
Now, coming to the main question.
What is the price of LED stumps?
The price may vary based on different factors, such as the quality of the stumps, the manufacturer, and the location.
Well, a set of LED stumps, which consist of bails, manufactured by Zing International cost around $40,000, which means ₹30 lakhs to ₹35 lakhs in India.
You would be surprised; a pair of Zing bails alone costs ₹50,000! You can literally buy a decent work laptop with that money.
Other manufacturers, like StumpVision and Intelliconn, offer LED stumps in the price range of $5,000 to $20,000 [₹4 lakhs to ₹16 lakhs].
How much does BCCI pay for it?
So, the BCCI or any board doesn’t buy these expensive LED stumps. The BCCI has signed a long-term contract with Zing International to supply the stumps.
The Australian company rents out these LED stumps to the BCCI for both international matches at home and the IPL.
According to The Federal, for IPL 2021 and IPL 2022, the BCCI approximately paid Rs. 1.60 crores and Rs. 2 crores, respectively, to Zing International.
As per the contract, Zing is responsible for the maintenance of stumps and bails. And in case a stump is broken during the match — as it happened recently in the IPL — the organisers bear the cost of stumps.
Thankfully, Arshdeep Singh doesn’t have to pay the cost; otherwise, it would have burned a hole in his pocket!
That’s all from my side. Share it with cricket fanatics.
