ISLAMABAD 30 May (Online): Cricket\u2019s cash-starved associate member nations fear the proposed new international revenue distribution model, which heavily favours the game\u2019s superpowers, could potentially stall the growth of the game.<\/p>\n
The International Cricket Council (ICC) has proposed a new revenue-sharing model for the 2024-27 cycle to be voted on at its July board meeting in Durban.<\/p>\n
According to figures leaked to Crickinfo, cricket\u2019s financial engine India would alone claim 38.5 per cent, primarily in recognition of its contribution to the commercial revenue pot.<\/p>\n
The 12 full members of the ICC would collectively take 88.81 per cent with the rest distributed among 94 associate members.
\nThe ICC has not commented on the figures, though general manager Wasim Khan said on Monday all members would get more money under the proposed model than in the past.<\/p>\n
Pakistan have already made clear their opposition to the model in its current shape and resentment is rumbling among other, less developed, cricketing nations.<\/p>\n
Sumod Damodar, one of the three associate member representatives on the ICC Chief Executives\u2019 Committee, said the proposal would not meet the needs of associate members.
\n\u201cIf what is being proposed and discussed is likely to be the outcome then, as an associate member representative, I would be (disappointed),\u201d he told.<\/p>\n
\u201cThere are numerous practical reasons why it would be inadequate for associate members.\u201d
\nDamodar, vice chairman of Botswana\u2019s board, said associate members who have earned one-day international (ODI) status need more money to sustain their high-performance programmes, while the others need cash to bridge the gap.<\/p>\n
Citing the rapid rise of Nepal in men\u2019s cricket and Thailand in the women\u2019s game, Damodar said more countries would step up if they were given the required financial support.<\/p>\n
Vanuatu Cricket Association Chief Executive Tim Cutler said the proposed model would only accentuate the inequality between cricket\u2019s haves and have-nots.
\n\u201cThe new model is now even more heavily weighted towards the bigger cricketing nations, and there is a risk that the proposed changes will exacerbate this imbalance, putting the future of the game at further risk,\u201d Cutler told.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe sad reality is, cricket will not grow beyond its current corners of the world [\u2026] if the allocation of the games global funds aren\u2019t more equally allocated with a view to actually growing the game.\u201d<\/p>\n
With full members having 12 of the 17 total votes on the ICC board, Cutler said diverting funds away from themselves, or making independent decisions for the good of the game, would be like \u201cturkeys voting for Christmas\u201d.
\nThe ICC did not respond to a request for comment when asked about the concerns of the associate members.<\/p>\n
Former ICC President Ehsan Mani said there was a lack of vision at the governing body in its approach to developing cricketing nations, despite the huge commercial potential of some of them.<\/p>\n
\u201cOne of the biggest risks for global cricket is its over-dependence on one country, India, for a major part of the revenues generated,\u201d the former Pakistan Cricket Board chairman said.<\/p>\n
\u201cCountries like the USA and the Middle East and, in longer term, China would bring enormous benefits to the ICC, its members and the global game. World cricket would be stronger and richer for it.\u201d
\nFor Mani, India grabbing the lion\u2019s share of ICC revenues \u201cmakes no sense\u201d and he advocated equal shares for all full members.<\/p>\n
\u201cWorld cricket needs a strong West Indies, South Africa, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh and Pakistan,\u201d he added.
\n\u201cCricket in Zimbabwe has suffered due to lack of funds as have Ireland and <\/p>\n
Afghanistan. Lack of investment in some of these countries will make the game unsustainable and world cricket will be poorer for it.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
ISLAMABAD 30 May (Online): Cricket\u2019s cash-starved associate member nations fear the proposed new international revenue distribution model, which heavily favours the game\u2019s superpowers, could potentially stall the growth of the game. The International Cricket Council (ICC) has proposed a new revenue-sharing model for the 2024-27 […]<\/p>\n
\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":81278,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[11121,8],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-81277","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-cricket-news","category-latest-sports-news"],"yoast_head":"\n