By Nick Butler

The closed auction of players taking place at Stadium:MK in Milton Keynes ©Badminton EnglandAn auction has taken place ahead of the inaugural staging of the National Badminton League in England, but organisers have refused to disclose what each player was worth. 


The League, consisting of six teams competing on a monthly basis, is following in the successful footsteps of the Indian Badminton League and the Indian Premier League cricket tournament.

Both of these tournaments are focused around a public auction where the individual amount paid for each player is widely circulated, with the inaugural IBL auction last July attracting a highest bid of £81,000 ($135,000/€100,000) from Mumbai Masters for Malaysian men's singles world number one Lee Chong Wei.

Eventual winners Hyderabad also paid £72,000 ($120,000/€88,000) for Indian women's singles star Saina Nehwal.

By deciding not to do this, Badminton England face criticism that they detracted from interest in the event before it has even begun. 

The only financial information circulated was that a total amounting to over £100,000 ($167,500/€123,000) will be spent across the six teams on players for the six-match season.

The price paid for star players, including men's singles world number one Lee Chong Wei, was the focus of attention at the Indian Badminton League auction last July ©AFP/Getty ImagesThe price paid for star players, including men's singles world number one Lee Chong Wei, was the focus of attention at the Indian Badminton League auction last July ©AFP/Getty Images



A spokesperson from Badminton England told insidethegames that because it was a closed auction, they will not be releasing the cost of any players at this stage.

When more clarification was requested, it was added that they made "the decision to keep the auction closed as we felt that was the best option", with the spokesperson admitting that the cost paid of each player is unlikely to be released at any stage.

During the auction, held in Milton Keynes, England's top ranked men's singles player in Rajiv Ouseph, a silver medal winner at the European Championships in Kazan last month, was secured by Team Derby.

World ranked number five mixed doubles star Gabby Adcock will play for Surrey Smashers, while husband and doubles partner Chris Adcock was signed by University of Nottingham Badminton after what was reported as "a very tense bidding war" - although, without any figures being released, we will never properly know. 

The League will be completed by Birmingham Lions, Loughborough Sport and Milton Keynes, with the first season due to start on October 6 and finish in April 2015.

It will then conclude with a single day knock-out competition featuring the top four teams, due to take place in June 2015.

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