‘Negative’ BCCI ordered to select India team Star, advertisers in a tizzy over uncertainty
With India alone missing April 25 deadline, COA tells Board to name squad without any delay
We have sent an email to the ICC asking how they plan to compensate us if our business is impacted due to India’s pullout.
The Supreme Courtappointed Committee of Administrators has rebuked the Board of Control for Cricket in India officials for delaying the naming of the Indian cricket team for next month’s ICC Champions Trophy in UK.
In a strongly-worded letter to acting BCCI secretary Amitabh Choudhary on Thursday, the COA, led by former auditor general of India Vinod Rai, took exception to the Board’s stance to use the players as pawns in their revenue-share battle with the ICC bosses.
“The BCCI appears to have lost sight of the fact that it attained a pre-eminent position in the ICC not by a combative approach but by building consensus and ensuring a positive image including by helping other cricket boards in their time of need,” the COA said in its letter.
India, led by MS Dhoni, had won the ICC Champions Trophy in UK in 2013. India beat hosts England in a rain-hit final at Edgbaston. India start their 2017 ICC Champions Trophy campaign against Pakistan in Birmingham on June 4. “There has been more than enough negativity surrounding Team India’s participation in the ICC Champions Trophy and the sooner the same is put to rest the better. The players’ interests are paramount and they must be given the best chance to prepare for, defend and retain the ICC Champions Trophy,” the administrators said.
According to the ICC’S revised
financial model based on equity and good conscience, BCCI will receive $293 million across the eight year cycle, England $143m, Zimbabwe $94m and the remaining seven Full Members $132m each. Associate Members will receive funding of $280m. This model was passed 13 votes to one.
Unhappy with this model, India threatened to withdraw from the ICC Champions Trophy as a mark of protest. The COA has rejected such an approach from the BCCI. India also failed to name their squad by April 25.
Star Sports have raised concerns with cricket’s governing body that advertisers might steer clear of the Champions Trophy if India opted against competing at the tournament in England.
At last week’s ICC meetings, the BCCI was outvoted 13-1 in its bid to stall a new revenue model which considerably slashes their financial share from global events in the 2015-2023 cycle.
Unimpressed by the $293 million forecast, down from the $570 million it would have received under a 2014 arrangement, the BCCI responded by refusing to name a squad for the June 1-18 one-day international competition by the April 25 cutoff date.
“There is concern in the market,” said the Star India official, who wished to remain anonymous, adding that the broadcaster had paid $1.9 billion for the ICC rights.
“There has been no official communication from the ICC or the BCCI on India’s participation.
“We have sent an email to the ICC asking how they plan to compensate us if our business is impacted due to India’s pullout.”
Rupert Murdoch’s Star group owns broadcast rights for 18 ICC global events to be held during an eight-year cycle from 2015, including two 50-over World Cups, two T20 World Cups and a similar number of Champions Trophy events.
India’s huge market is a major draw for sponsors and advertis ers, who often plan product launches around major cricket tournaments and book advertis ing slots in advance.
The option of pulling out of the Champions Trophy by revoking the Members Participation Agreement (MPA) between the ICC and the BCCI has been gain ing traction within the India board, who will discuss the issue at a special general meeting.
The operations of the BCCI are currently being supervised by four court-appointed administra tors (COA), who has said it would intervene if the board took any drastic measures which might hurt Indian cricket.
“It is in the interests of the BCCI to continue negotiations with the ICC and other cricket boards to arrive at an amount/ share that is somewhere between that envisaged under the finan cial model that was put in place in 2014 and that which is envisaged under the revised financia model,” the COA said.