IPL 2025: Why Did Delhi Capitals Choose Visakhapatnam as Their Second Home Venue?

One of the IPL teams that's constantly trying to pull neutral fans their way is Delhi Capitals. The franchise, which has been struggling over the past few years, has been aiming to start the year on a high in their first match versus Lucknow Supergiants in the 18th edition of IPL.

The DC team has a new captain in Axar Patel, and they have also bought a star player in KL Rahul. While it is true that the team doesn't have a loyal fanbase yet and falls flat in popularity ratings, this gives the franchise an edge to expand into new domains to try and attract new fans for their team.

An attempt by the DC team to amass scores of new fans has come with their move to add Vishakhapatnam also as part of their home venue. Initially, it was considered as an alternative to Delhi's Feroz Shah Kotla stadium, which had to be renovated. But what the Delhi Capitals did was strategic.

By moving some of their games every year to Vishakhapatnam, it is giving a city like Vizag in Andhra Pradesh and its cricket fans an identity in the IPL. One of the main reasons for the Delhi Capitals team to have a Telugu presence is because of the franchise's co-owner.

A lot of people by now would know that GMR Group co-owns Delhi Capitals alongside JSW Sports. Grandhi Mallikarjuna Rao, an Indian billionaire, owns GMR, and there have been reports that it is because of him that the DC team kept Vizag as their second home. GM Rao's son Kiran Kumar Grandhi is the current chairman of the Delhi Capitals team.

Just like last year, even this year, the Delhi Capitals franchise, along with ACA and VDCA officials, has made stringent arrangements for their opening round match vs. LSG. Proper measurements are taken to ensure that fans don't feel discomfort while watching the game, and it indeed is a good move from Delhi Capitals to have a temporary base in Vizag.

It remains to be seen if DC manages to continue this tradition for years to come.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Delhi Capitals (@delhicapitals)