Richard Gould, the chief executive officer of the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB), believes India is justified to earn USD 230 million per year, which stands as 38 percent of earnings under ICC’s newly-proposed financial model set to run from 2024-27.
According to the newly-proposed financial model, the BCCI could earn 38.5 per cent of the USD 600 million earnings over the next ICC commercial cycle with the ECB and Cricket Australia being the next highest earners with a share of USD 41.33 million and 37.53 million respectively.
“When you see where that value is created, I think it’s understandable. There may be tweaks in the margins here or there, but the dominant position India is in is based on India’s ability to drive revenues and drive the sport forward. One point four billion people, one sport, ten (IPL) teams, one international team.”
What I’m also fascinated by is India’s determination to assist the world game. You look at the percentages and go ‘Well, that’s not fair it should be split equally’. But we’ve got to look at the size of the market. India play as many international fixtures as any other team in the world,” said Gould on the latest episode of The Final Word podcast.
“And they do that because they know when they tour as an international team, they bring interest and revenue to that home side. I think it’s important to see things in the round, in that regard,” he added.
Overall, ICC’s 12 full members will get USD 532.84 million, which stands at 88.81%, with the remaining 11.19%, translating to USD 67.16 million, going to the associate nations.
The proposals from the ICC came under huge criticism as many believe it will lead to more increase in financial disparity of the game.
“I get it (the financial inequality). But I also understand how important India is, because without them we wouldn’t have the kind of revenues that are coming into the game. And I do think India make huge efforts to be responsible partners in this when I see the amount they travel around the world, taking India everywhere.
I do think it is a balance. I think there is collective decision-making, both in India and within the ICC, and I think there is a real determination and understanding we need (for) cricket to be expanding and we need it to be healthy around the world,” added Gould.
Gould feels money could be better shared around the game if boards pay touring sides during bilateral tours, instead of hosts retaining all the revenue coming through the series and wants England to do more in driving Test cricket forward.
“When somebody tours England, we don’t pay them a fee, we don’t pay their players. The way that it’s done in bilateral cricket at the moment is you retain your own home domestic revenues. And when you travel away, they receive their domestic revenue,” he said.
“That’s where the disparity of markets comes in. That’s something we will want to and will need to look at in terms of encouraging people not just to play Test but make sure they can pay their players, and pay them well, so that they want to play Test cricket again,” he concluded.
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