Strife-torn CSA gets blame for huge T20 blunder
NELSON Mandela Bay Stars team owner Ajay Sethi has blamed internal strife at Cricket SA (CSA) and the inability to secure a lucrative TV deal as the main reasons for the collapse of next month’s T20 Global League.
CSA pulled the plug yesterday on the inaugural edition of the league, which was due to start in less than three weeks, postponing it to November next year.
The rescheduling has left an embarrassing, gaping six-week hole in the domestic cricket calendar.
Sethi, who had labelled his NMB Stars franchise “The People’s Team”, blamed the recent goings-on at CSA for the league’s postponement but, in the same breath, said he would continue to support the national body.
“I think, essentially, it was a joint decision with CSA and the owners,” he said from Dubai yesterday.
“I think with CSA having internal turmoil and if we don’t run the tournament well, you cannot do it halfheartedly, and that’s why we all decided to look at the next window available.
“We have all the players, all the coaches involved, all the companies and hotels.
“I think last month’s turmoil had something to do with it because we were all geared and all ready to go.
“It’s [the TV rights deal] had so much exposure in the media. “This product has a great value. “But if somebody undervalues it, it is not good for business.
“In all honesty, it seems like CSA couldn’t lock the television rights in the right time.
“At the last minute, you can’t get the right value.
“It’s a pity, because the league, on the world stage, will sit on prime time in Asia, Africa and Europe.”
“It’s a sad day for all of us at Nelson Mandela Bay Stars. “We have so much passion in the region. “I believe in this product and I will always believe in it. “Mayor [Athol] Trollip was so excited. “He did so much for it and supported the whole idea, and also your business people.
“But we want to support CSA because we are part of them, and even if they had some internal things, we will still stand by them. “In the end, I think it’s the right decision. “We need to do a bigger league next year and have a bigger launch than this and make it stronger.”
The CSA board held an emergency teleconference yesterday, where they decided to put the tournament – which was scheduled to have started on November 3 – on ice for a year.
On Friday, CSA acting chief executive Thabang Moroe said the T20GL was set to lose $25-million (R341.7-million) – more than half the board’s cash reserves.
“Even so‚” he promised: “We will start [the T20GL] on November 3.”
But in a release yesterday‚ Moroe was quoted as saying: “We have reassessed our strategy and believe that postponing the first edition of the T20GL to next year will
serve us well. We will regroup and come back stronger and better.”
Moroe‚ who is also CSA’s vice-president‚ was installed after chief executive Haroon Lorgat and the association parted ways on September 28.
Matters came to a head in recent days, with franchise owners unconvinced about CSA’s ability to put the tournament together in the few weeks remaining.
Lorgat’s CSA departure was central to the calamity.
At least three Indian owners among the eight franchises are known to have been disturbed by the way he went about his business regarding the T20GL.
Moroe gave the strongest indication yet yesterday that a lack of transparency from Lorgat may have had an impact on the postponement.
“The board takes full responsibility in terms of what’s happened because the board took its trust and placed it in the hands of a few individuals‚ and not all the information the board needed for it to be comfortable enough to continue with the league at this stage was forthcoming‚” Moroe said.
“That information wasn’t forthcoming – and some of it is still not forthcoming.
“I’m dealing with information that’s been available to me for the past week-and-a-half.
“Our model works but the model within which the T20GL was going to operate needs to have money supporting it and that wasn’t going to come from CSA alone.
“What’s changed between Friday and Tuesday are the numbers.”
Moroe said they were still in contact with Lorgat in terms of shedding more light on the failure of the tournament‚ but also did not rule out the possibility of an investigation.
He said the contracts that were signed in line with the tournament in terms of players and suppliers would still be honoured.
“We’re not going to deliver a T20 league that’s going to be detrimental for CSA.
“If we were going to deliver a league that was going to be detrimental to our development mandate‚ it would have been irresponsible,” Moroe said.
“You can’t throw money at a problem like this.
“The best thing to do is to cut the bleeding‚ take stock‚ regain strength and come back a bit better.”
The South African Cricketers’ Association (Saca)‚ an important stakeholder, has now called for players to be compensated and for the saga to be investigated.
“We will be seeking clarity from CSA on the further implications,” Saca chief executive Tony Irish said.
“This has a very significant impact on a large number of local and overseas players‚ all of whom have signed contracts to play in the league.
“Some players turned down other opportunities to commit themselves to these contracts.
“We will be looking at all the implications of this for players‚ including what compensation should be paid to them.
“I think it will be necessary for CSA to appoint its own independent review into what has actually transpired here as there are significant implications across South African cricket.”
Nelson Mandela Bay city manager Johann Mettler said the postponement of the competition was just a temporary setback.
"We invested in our cricket infrastructure already during talks of this competition,” he said. “We are happy with our investment.”
Mettler said that while it was disappointing CSA could not get the broadcasting deal finalised in time, “we were assured by the local team’s sponsor that they are committed to this deal”.
“It has just been delayed."