ICC Takeover by big three

[Jade]

In principle...this is a wrong move by BCCI and that too a short sighted one. In short term, BCCI may gain, but in long term cricket will loose so will BCCI.

 

[xyxmt]

BCCI approves ICC 'takeover' proposal

• 

CHENNAI: The Indian cricket board (BCCI) on Thursday formally approved and backed the plan which proposes to overhaul the world body, International Cricket Council (ICC), by handing over executive decision-making to India, Australia and England.

After an emergent working committee meeting here, BCCI issued a statement saying its members had reviewed the new draft proposal prepared by a working group of the ICC's finance and commercial affairs committee and come to the conclusion that the proposed changes were "in the interests of cricket at large".

Controversially, though, BCCI also sought to link its participation in ICC events with the proposals being cleared, saying, "(The committee) authorized the office bearers to enter into agreements with ICC for participating in ICC events and host ICC events, subject to the proposal being approved in the ICC board."

The BCCI also said it had "formally approved the proposal of the working group, authorized office bearers to discuss bilateral matches with other full members (including Pakistan) and sign formal FTP agreements".

The draft proposals will be presented to the ICC executive board during its quarterly meeting in Dubai on Jan 28 and 29. It needs the support of seven of the 10 Full Member nations to be passed.

The BCCI is set to profit substantially if the new structure comes into place, since the 21-page draft proposes, among other things, a radical redistribution of cricket's financial pie, with the ICC's central revenue being distributed in proportion to the income generated by each board. In the current system, 75% of the ICC earnings are divided equally among the 10 Full Member nations, the rest going to associate members.

Ahead of negotiations for the next ICC commercial rights cycle from 2015 to 2023, the BCCI is keen on seeing that its share of the ICC pie reflects the fact that it generates approximately 80% of the game's global revenues. Under the current system, the BCCI currently gets around 4.2% of the ICC's current revenue-cycle generation of $1.5 billion.

"It (the proposal) is a recognition of India's involvement in cricket and revenue generation by India. We are asking for legitimate right and it will not shrink cricketing activity in any way," BCCI secretary Sanjay Patel told reporters after the meeting, adding: "It's a question of understanding, not a question of power game."

The proposal, which has drawn flak from Pakistan, Sri Lanka and South Africa, also seeks to introduce a two-tier Test system but exempts India, Australia and England from relegation, apart from removing the current system of Future Tours Programme (FTP) to pave the way for individually-negotiated bilateral contests.

Proposed changes

* New executive committee to be run by BCCI, CA and ECB.
* Promotion and relegation system in Tests with India, Aus and England exempted from relegation.
* ICC to be delinked from FTP in favour of individually negotiated bilateral contests.
* A maximum of 21% of ICC's revenues to BCCI since it generates almost 80% of the game's finances. Those who raise more money to get more of the share, which means England & Australia will follow India in bagging largest portions.
* Champions Trophy to make a comeback. Proposed Test Championship to be shelved.
* A new Test cricket fund will be set up to encourage countries to keep long-form cricket alive.


Ehsan Mani slams 'Big Three' proposal

Ehsan Mani, the former ICC president, has delivered a stinging critique of the finance and governance draft proposal put forward by the boards of India, Australia and England, declaring the document should be subject to independent review. He charged the BCCI, CA and ECB with "completely undermining the integrity and standing of the ICC".

Describing the process by which the proposal was drawn up in secret and then presented to the other Full Member nations as an indicator of "serious weaknesses in ICC's governance", Mani raised numerous concerns about the proposal itself, particularly its financial modelling for the next eight years and assumptions about how much money an individual board or country is worth to the game as a revenue-raiser.

He also implored the ICC's executive board to look again towards the Woolf Report, the 2012 independent review of ICC governance that was largely ignored after the BCCI rejected its recommendations, many of which have been contradicted by the new proposal. "The Paper raises serious governance issues including lack of transparency and conflict of interest," Mani wrote in a 13-page statement about the proposal. "The authors of the Paper (BCCI, ECB and CA) benefit significantly in financial terms from their proposals and promote their own self-interests.

"BCCI, ECB and CA say in the Paper that they will provide greater leadership and stability to the ICC and its Members. In return they ask the Members to hand over powers of the ICC Board to them. They do not demonstrate how they will do this in any meaningful way. They do, however, plan to make significant financial gains for themselves and completely control the workings of the ICC to the exclusion of the other members.

"The Position Paper of the Working Group should be withdrawn and referred to an external independent panel to review and comment on. BCCI, CA and ECB should have no part in this process or subsequent discussion on this matter as they are clearly conflicted."

Mani, who served as ICC president from 2003 to 2006 after beginning his involvement with cricket's governing body in 1989, was aggrieved by the manner in which the proposal was drawn up by the BCCI, CA and ECB, and then sprung on the rest of the Full Members with the demand that it be voted on almost immediately.

"The Directors, President, Chief Executive and management of the ICC have had no role and input in, or knowledge of the preparation of the Paper even though it comes from a working group of the ICC Finance & Commercial Affairs Committee," Mani wrote. "It also appears that some members of the F&CA Committee were not invited to join in the discussions leading to the Paper and were not even aware of the discussions taking place.

"Full Members were summoned to a meeting in Dubai on 9 January 2014 and presented with this Paper. From all accounts it appears that the President and the Full Member directors of the ICC had no prior knowledge of the contents of the Paper and the President had no role in convening the meeting; he was 'invited' to the meeting by the BCCI, ECB and CA although it was a meeting of the F&CA working party of his Board. No Associate or Affiliate member director was invited to the meeting.

"The Three Boards have completely undermined the integrity and standing of the ICC, its President and the Board of Directors in promoting their own agenda without due and proper discussion by the Board. Clearly, the right standard of Boardroom behaviour is not seen to be in place."

Looking closely at the new financial order suggested by the proposal, Mani took serious issue with the premise on which it has been based. "The [revenue distribution] proposal put forward in the Paper is fundamentally flawed," he wrote. "It assumes that the members have proprietary interest in the money their countries' economies generate for ICC events. The fact is that broadcasters buy cricket rights because it appeals to their customers, drives subscriptions and advertising revenues.

"Similarly, sponsors use cricket to promote their goods and services. While the values are generally greater when the broadcaster's country is playing, not all of this can be attributed to the individual country's Board. The quality of the opposition has a great bearing on the value Boards receive for their media rights. A strong case could be made that the broadcast revenues for bilateral home and away series between two members should be pooled and shared equally.

"While there would be a significant reduction in the value of the ICC Commercial Rights if India did not participate in an event; it would not be a reduction of 80% of ICC revenues. The Indian broadcasters would still wish to broadcast ICC Events. There would be a relatively greater impact, than the values attributed to Pakistan, South Africa and West Indies in the Paper if these three countries did not participate in an ICC event. From discussions with broadcasters, if a World Cup was held without Pakistan, South Africa and West Indies ICC revenues for the event could be reduced by 30%-40%."

Mani's background in chartered accounting and corporate governance, via numerous board directorships, served him well at the ICC, when he took a major role in growing television revenue through his post as the head of the ICC's Finance and Marketing Committee from 1996 to 2002. He is a known advocate for growing the game into new markets such as the United States and China.

The proposal, which is believed to have undergone some minor adjustments since its draft version was reported on, has been lodged with ICC executive board members and will be debated and voted upon at their next meeting on January 28-29.



Two different views above
If this new proposal will benefit other small nations to further improve cricket then I second it otherwise something different should come up.
Your views my friends

rest of the cricket playing countries should make their own cricket council
Banya got the money and he cant keep his feet on the ground

Soccer ?

That is Blasphemy !

The word is 'Football' !

And I love football !

I only like tennis because of the ladies that play it !

But at 5'8 I'm too short for Basketball !

are you sure?
maybe you dont paly tennis because ball goes over your head all the time
ladies play cricket too
ladies play football too, canadian ladies football team can beat any south asian men's team

 

[Badbadman]

rest of the cricket playing countries should make their own cricket council
Banya got the money and he cant keep his feet on the ground

Typical reply from a typical Pakistani. Banya's feet is not on the ground but it's on PCB and any other board that opposes it.

 

[Jzaib]

im so disappointed with Bangladesh ..they back stabbed us again...they should stop this master/slave attitude

 

[Badbadman]

only need one more vote.

 

[Sugarcane]

Cast mentality is built-in feature of Indians and they don't spare any chance to practice it. Big 3 succeed in introducing cast system in Cricket or not - But it's good that my country took stand against it and i hope they will stick to it even if all other support.

rest of the cricket playing countries should make their own cricket council

Yeah - Rest 7 should continue with ICC and let these big 3 play with each other.