GCA SALARY CAP REVIEW
Salary cap boost plan to stamp out ‘black economy’
THE Geelong Cricket Association could increase the salary cap by as much as $5000 next season in a bid to stamp out the “black economy”.
President Rob Vines confirmed the GCA had forwarded a proposal to clubs to lift the cap from $10,000 to $15,000.
It also includes the potential to pay more than three players each season.
Under current GCA bylaws, clubs can pay up to three “professional” players a total of $10,000 per season.
THE Geelong Cricket Association could increase the salary cap by as much as $5000 next season in a bid to stamp out the “black economy”.
President Rob Vines confirmed the GCA had forwarded a proposal to clubs to lift the cap from $10,000 to $15,000.
It also includes the potential to pay more than three players each season.
Under current GCA bylaws, clubs can pay up to three “professional” players a total of $10,000 per season.
But that could all change in 2020-21, with the GCA seeking input from clubs on remodelling the current payment structure.
“It’s a proposal to not only increase the salary cap, but also modernise the club compliance process,” Vines said.
“We’ve been using a system of statutory declarations to manage and remunerate the players.
“We’ve had an aggregate salary cap of $10,000 for up to three players for three or four seasons now.
“It’s going to be hard to get clear evidence on what to do, but the feeling is there does need to be some increase in the salary cap.
“But what the cap should be is an arguable point because we’re not sure what players are getting paid and what’s happening in other associations.
“So everyone is tight-lipped about this sort of stuff, quite naturally.
“We’re putting a proposition out there that has some basis and commonsense.
“It’s out there for discussion and if we can get good feedback from the clubs, and so far it’s all been positive, we’ll look to implement it next year.”
With speculation that some clubs are making under-thetable payments to players, Vines believes a new compliance system would help level the playing field.
“It’s hard to know how the black economy works,” Vines said.
“We suspect there is a black economy where some clubs are remunerating players to a level that exceeds the current $10,000 cap, but it’s very, very difficult to enforce penalties for what’s going on — if that’s going on.
“Just with the shift in the market, some increase of the $10,000 cap is appropriate, but whether $15,000 is where we should be at, I guess we’ll get some feedback on that.
“From what I know, there’s been a general mood for a while that $10,000 is not sufficient, but it’s hard to know what is a reasonable market level.
“We’re asking the clubs about increasing the cap to $15,000 but also what they think about not having a cap on the amount of players.
“Bear in mind, the salary cap is the second equalisation measure, the main measure is the player points system, but we think some money control is prudent.”