Lead selector of Cricket West Indies (CWI) Senior’s Men’s Selection Panel, The Most Honourable Desmond Haynes, believes that international cricket’s current revenue distribution model has left the regional side at a competitive disadvantage.
Haynes aired his grievance with the International Cricket Council (ICC) when he was speaking in a press conference last Tuesday afternoon which was held to announce the 15-member squad for the upcoming CG United One-Day International (ODI) Series against England which starts on December 3.
The former West Indies opening batsman said the issue was of concern to him due to the comparisons in results and infrastructure made between West Indies and the likes of India and Australia, given the gulf of finances and resources available to the entities.
“The West Indies (and its board Cricket West Indies) doesn’t have the money,” Haynes began. “I believe that it is about time that the ICC looks very straight into West Indies’ eyes and says we have to give you more money for your cricket development. It is the same thing with other countries but I am dealing with us because I would like them to start with us. We need about another $200 million approximately to help with our cricket development.”
He continued to highlight the differences, explaining the exact amount of money needed for development was hard to quantify when considering the different islands in the Caribbean and all of the demographics that would need financing.
“We have about two indoor facilities in the region where people can go and practise their skills when the sun goes down. These places are all around in England and Australia for these guys to practise their skills from eleven and twelve o’clock at night. We definitely have to look at ways of giving our players more exposure and opportunities to play when the sun goes down,” Haynes concluded.
Earlier this year, the ICC board approved a revamped revenue distribution model of their annual earnings of US$600 million after their annual general meeting on July 13 in Durban, South Africa.
The new model will see the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) pocket 38.5 per cent of the ICC’s annual net earnings in the next four year commercial cycle from 2024 to 2027. The US$230 million earned by the BCCI looms over the England Cricket Board’s portion (ECB) – the next highest earner – with approximately US$41.33 million or 6.89 per cent of ICC’s earnings. Cricket Australia (CA), the third member of the original “Big Three”, could get US$37.53 million (6.25 per cent).
The only other board projected to make over US$30 million among the remaining nine Full Members is the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) which could receive US$34.51 million. Of the US$600 million projected pool, the 12 full members will get US$532.84 million with the remaining US$67.16 million going to associate members.
West Indies sit mid-table on the full member 2024-2027 commercial cycle and are set to receive US$27.50 million annually. Below them are one-time World Cup winners Sri Lanka (US$27.12 million), Bangladesh (US$26.74 million) and South Africa (US$26.24 million).
Bringing up the rear of the table are Ireland (US$18.04 million), Zimbabwe (US$17.64 million) and Afghanistan (US$16.82 million).
The criteria by which each full member was judged when the distribution was calculated was:
Cricket history
Performance in both men’s and women’s ICC events over the last 16 years
Contribution to the ICC’s commercial revenue
And, an equal weightage for the status of being a full member.
The West Indies face England at the Sir Vivian Richards Stadium in Antigua on Sunday, December 3, and Wednesday, December 6. The final fixture will take place in Barbados at the Kensington Oval on Saturday, December 9.