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Post by chrischammond on Feb 17, 2024 18:13:56 GMT
Post removed as repeat - however - it appears you either get two of the same or none. Reposted.
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Post by chrischammond on Feb 18, 2024 10:41:01 GMT
As I write this I’m watching in the background the opening match of the PSL from Lahore. Playing are (on opposite sides) Tymal Mills and David Wiese. Some of the players are fresh from the SA T20 tournament.
I’m old school. T20 I originally thought was frankly a bit of an insult to cricketing intelligence. But then again - in it’s day - so was the Gillette Cup.
What we are talking about here is how the business of cricket survives in the U.K. I’m very much afraid that nothing stays the same. Whereas I would have liked to see the backbone of cricket remain in the Test/County match world for a bit longer, I’m gradually accepting that I’m not typical of the average cricket watcher any more either. My attention span is longer than today’s median. I can just about cope with less than instant gratification. The paying punter has changed, and as we know from the greater commercial world, you can only ignore the cash flow for so long. There are only two ways to finance a cricket team, paying at the gate, or subsidy. We’re talking big subsidies here and that is dangerous. Those that giveth can just as easily taketh away if you don’t do as you’re told. That applies to government, governing bodies, and commercial donors, and increasingly these days politics plays a part in the decisions of all of these. The greater proportion of subsidy over earnings you have in financing your team, the less you are the masters of your own destiny. Eventually, mostly subsidised, you wind up being puppets of the politicians - even if they’re masquerading as the ECB or whatever. You will have mixed teams of men & women and the boundary rider at long on will be in a wheelchair. Shudder.
So - we are going to have to raise as much of our own money as possible to finance our fictional team. And to do that we are going to have to appeal to those with a shorter attention span than most of us old gits. That means the axis of the playing season is going to have to shift towards the white ball game. Mainly T20, franchise, (Tymal has just taken a wicket). And …. The Hundred ….? I watch it but I don’t like it. It is synthetic. It is a made up game, designed by a committee. It is what was supposed to be a horse, but wound up being a camel. The closest we get to supporting ‘a team’ is if we abandon the deckchairs of Hove for the concrete of Hedge End. But it’s not entirely all bad. The double headers of ladies/men’s teams appeal to families, especially those with girls. Just look at the audiences. If one in ten of them gets hooked on cricket - good. And THEY PAY.
However, I’ve seen varying estimates of what the Hundred is worth to outside bidders. Anything from £100M to £1BIL. To be ‘distributed’. In other words subsidies. See above. As far as I know nobody else in the world wants the Betamax Hundred, and there’s not enough in the market here to support both formats.
The discussion should be about how to better integrate the short-form into a programme heavier on white ball but propping up the long form because the game is dead without tests.
It’s got to be better coordinated internationally too. The IPL bullies the rest of the world, and certainly interferes with the U.K. domestic game. But it will have to be accommodated because if we in the Counties can’t afford to pay the players what they think they’re worth then some of the financial heavy lifting will have to be done by the franchises.
With a bit of imagination and give and take (in my fantasy cricketing world) it must be possible to design an international programme that satisfies, to an extent, the wants of the teams, players, and countries. And doesn’t burn out the players quite so early. See my previous about Jos Buttler.
To sum up - kill the Hundred before it smothers independent cricket with its subsidies. Accept reshaping County Cricket to fit in with the money making format - T20. Allow players the room to top up on franchise money with internal county support bringing on and developing young players who will be paid less but with the carrot of longer term franchise riches dangling.
I hold no candle for Rob Andrew. I think he may have used SCCC as an experiment on his way to greater things. If he doesn’t get fired though, he is where he is and we have a clue as to what he might try to do. He may turn out to be right in the long run, albeit at the wrong time and place and for the wrong reasons.
Sussex have to survive short term. Farbrace has to stay and be given enough money and rope as he thinks he needs. TINA as Mrs T said. You can finance anything for five years - because that’s about all we’ve got as things stand.
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Post by Wicked Cricket on Feb 19, 2024 11:32:50 GMT
chrischammond, Thank you for your excellent and thoughtful post. While I agree with part of your sentiment, never dismiss The 100. I will explain. Last week a major story broke concerning the tournament which seems to have got lost below the radar. The Daily Telegraph published that the ECB has just turned down "a USD1 billion offer” to sell The Hundred to IPL founder, Lalit Modi. You may remember Modi was ECB's former Chair, Giles Clarke, best friend (!) The article explains that “Modi’s representatives met with Vikram Banerjee, the ECB’s director of operations, who is de facto head of the Hundred, and chief executive Richard Gould to lay out a 10-year offer to buy the Hundred and fund it through private investment.” It continues, “(The ECB) is not interested in selling the competition as a whole because it fears losing control of the peak months of the season and worry dealing with Modi would jeopardise its relationship with the BCCI.”  Lalit Modi (Credit: Kirsty O’Connor/PA)archive.is/eOo6CThe feud between Clarke and Modi began back in the noughties and ended up with writs flying everywhere ending in a libel court case. This was settled in 2012. Clarke accused Modi of secretly approaching the top TMGs in a bid to create a EPL20 behind the ECB’s back. This bad blood has never gone away, so it is no surprise the Board has turned down the Indian's offer. A problem being Modi is “a below the belt kind of business guy” and so disliked that political lawfare was used to kick him out of Indian cricket where, believing his life was in danger, he fled India and resettled in London. The ECB turned down a previous offer last year from the Bridgepoint Group worth £400 million for a 75 per cent stake in The 100. At the time, Richard Thompson, the Board’s chair, said he would only consider offers of a “few billion” and since then the ECB has pursued a strategy of selling equity in the teams, with the board retaining ownership of the competition. Yet, here lies another problem. Pride. While, Modi claims he has lined up investors willing to pump money into a 10-team tournament, he wishes to convert The 100 into an EPL20. Modi claims his competition would include a team purse of up to USD10 million every season, putting wages on a similar level to the IPL. Modi puts the value of the competition at USD100 million a year over 10 years and says the franchises should be English owned and English run with minimal input from India. He believes the ECB should sell no more than two franchises to IPL teams in order for it to keep its English identity and not turn into another version of the IPL. What a dilemma for the ECB. In one fell swoop, there is oodles of money to boost both men’s and women’s British cricket, its grassroots, in fact, every aspect of the game, but a combination of pride, distrust and ego stops them. Yet ending the 100, for it to become an EPL20 would not only please many cricket supporters, but attract top global players to the new tournament. It turns out, Modi has been working on his plan for an EPL20 for the past 18 months and believes its scale would make the competition second only to the IPL in terms of financial clout, while the windfall would guarantee the future of the counties for more than a generation. The ECB’s plan to sell equity, by its own estimate, will bring in a tenth of what Modi is confident he can deliver. Modi’s plan would be for the competition to run from July 1st to Aug 15th. He told Telegraph Sport, “I would give them a guarantee of a billion dollars. A lot of people have been in touch with me interested in backing it and I made a proposal to the ECB but it had a lot of conditions.” He then emphasises, “The Hundred format does not work and there should only be two franchises sold to Indian buyers. It will only work if it is an English competition and not Indo-centric.” Modi set up the IPL in 2008 and latest estimates put its brand value at USD10.7 billion, a growth of more than 400 per cent since it started. Its media rights were sold in 2022 for more than USD6 billion. Meanwhile, the ECB believes it can raise £100 million from selling equity in the teams and consultation is ongoing with the counties to change the constitution to allow private ownership of the eight Hundred clubs. The problem being, can you trust the ECB to achieve its goal, especially when The 100 is seen like a square nut in a round hole by the rest of the cricketing world. Yet, in Britain it is not the ECB that dictates the future of cricket, but SKY Sports. The ECB offers them new ideas and concepts in the hope the media company will support them. SKY is the puppet master, the ECB the puppet. The TV Corps genuinely liked The 100 concept which influenced them to hand over close to £1 billion to cover England cricket until 2028 or over £220 million per year after signing a new four-year deal. This extension runs from the start of 2025 until the end of 2028, and includes:- : 90 extra hours of live cricket guaranteed on TV each year. : More women's cricket than ever before. : Coverage of The Hundred extended to 2028. : Increased prominence for the Vitality Blast, including more live games. : Continued investment in grassroots cricket including through the Dynamos Cricket program. : Sky's investment also funds initiatives for children of all backgrounds to pick up a bat and ball, growing women and girls' cricket and reducing barriers to participation, as well as supporting a thriving domestic game and successful England teams. www.skysports.com/the-hundred/news/36890/12651542/sky-sports-and-ecb-extend-partnership-to-2028-in-new-four-year-agreementThis latest agreement extends the partnership between the ECB and Sky Sports to more than 30 years. Since 2017, there has been a 73 percent increase in total viewing hours of cricket on Sky. So what would you do? Can you trust the ECB? Can you trust Modi? Might he screw up the ECB’s vital relationship with Sky Sports? Yet, he is offering USD1 billion which could save county cricket and its 18 clubs for another 25 years or more. Oh dear!  |
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Post by chrischammond on Feb 19, 2024 17:46:21 GMT
Thanks for that. It’s fleshed out a lot for me. And I don’t know the answer, however I would ask a couple of questions.
Are we in danger of disappearing down the finance rabbit hole and arguing to the exclusion of all else whether one dodgy unknown is worth risking over another merely because if you’re going to sell out, then you may as well sell out to the highest bidder?
How much is ENOUGH money?
We are in danger of raising the old “would you sleep with me for £50/£1M question. The answer being “no/yes” defines what you are and after that we’re just arguing about money.
Do we want the Indian set-up effectively running half of English cricket? They set up the SA T20 offering, which I watched and enjoyed but knowing how you do business in SA these days, and who you approach first, it doesn’t surprise me that it happened and that they would up with ‘Mumbai Indians Cape Town’, but dare we risk Sunrisers South Coast? Manchester Superkings? And I’m not just talking about the names.
Bear in mind the Indian template is six weeks in what should be the consolidation period of the other competitions and for the rest of the season would be a very large Indian elephant in the room, leaning on player fitness, availability, and frankly interest in the red ball game. As it is the Tests have been nudged to early & late in the season, when the weather can’t be said to be optimal, nor, arguably, some of the player’s performances.
In short, the Indian offering wouldn’t be another planet in the season revolving around the red ball sun, it would be THE sun around which everything else would orbit.
If that’s the only way - fair enough but is it what we want ultimately? I go back to how much is enough? I’m tempted to say a lesser but significant offer with a smaller footprint on the game should perhaps be the way to go - for the time being. If you accept the mega-offer now you are burning bridges, boats and trains and planes. You will be handcuffed to the IPL (type) bandwagon forever. The money won’t go away and if it’s required to work a bit harder and impacting bit less a few years down the line to gain a foothold, would that be a bad outcome?
I’m studiously avoiding the Hundred v T20 argument. I’m unconvinced the Hundred will fit with T20 under any circumstance. T20 is an international game with national teams which attract paying followers who would otherwise be on the periphery of mundane old-school cricket, and attracts international TV money. You can’t make the rest of the world take it up. Once serious money becomes established - perhaps using funding the Hundred as a Trojan horse, I wouldn’t want to guarantee that a couple of years worth of spending wouldn’t embolden them to try to change the rules of the club to whatever they wanted in the first place.
Piper, tune, pays, calls …. rearrange into a self-evident truth.
I think I’m saying that something has to happen money-wise, but I’m not sure I’ll like any of the outcomes. But I’m only paying a couple of hundred quid a year, what do I matter?
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Post by Wicked Cricket on Feb 21, 2024 12:12:29 GMT
How much is ENOUGH money?A simple answer might be: Enough to keep 18 cricket counties solvent for the next generation to enjoy. In a capitalist country, cricket keeps cheating the financial mechanisms thanks to the ECB and the monies they give out to assist in finding and developing young international players. The ECB doesn't require 18. Perhaps, 12 even 10 is quite sufficient as a pool. Yet, thank God, the ECB's dictum is to keep 18 counties solvent at all cost. The Board has made this very clear. Only if the finances become dire then releasing six will become a necessity. And one of those six may well be Sussex. I want to spend an afternoon's Championship game at Hove with my grandchildren. They are reaching an age where sport has become of interest. In fact, one is joining a local U9 Colts cricket team this summer for the first time. If the ECB can find sufficient monies to keep 18 counties alive, vibrant and healthy, for the next generation to enjoy, that would be my final answer. 
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Post by chrischammond on Feb 21, 2024 12:29:43 GMT
Can’t fault that!
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Post by squarepoint on Feb 21, 2024 16:36:00 GMT
Think I’d trust Allen Stanford before trusting Lalit Modi 😅
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Post by chrischammond on Feb 21, 2024 17:17:10 GMT
That name takes me back! It was part of my point or it should have been. Everything in Modi’s circle is political as well as sport orientated. No doubt he would like a weapon to beat the IPL with after losing face when he ran away to London. It’s said he wants to be the Bernie Ecclestone of cricket, and I suspect he’s going to be sniffing around the proposed North American T20 League. Probably anybody BUT Modi then.
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Post by Wicked Cricket on Mar 8, 2024 15:46:38 GMT
The Difference Between a Successful Cricket County and One That is Not
___________________________________________________________________________________________I couldn’t resist. This is the difference between a successful club and one that is not. Both Somerset and Sussex were seeking a new CEO at the same time. Former Head and multi-role administrator of the ECB for 12 years, Gordon Hollins, told Somerset he was stepping down as the county’s CEO after three years in the position. Hollins gave six month’s notice allowing the Club to methodically find a replacement. Rob Andrew gave Sussex just a month’s notice after being “found out” by Telegraph cricket writer, Will Macpherson. In the end, Somerset chose Jamie Cox. The 54 year-old is cricket through and through and ticks all the boxes. He moves from the MCC where he has been Director of Cricket & Operations since September 2021. An Australian who was a former opening bat for Tasmania in domestic competitions, Cox was expected to play for Australia after being the second highest scorer of runs in the Sheffield Shield with 10,821, but this never transpired. In 1999 Cox moved to England where he joined Somerset. A highlight was leading the county to C&G Trophy glory in 2001. He stayed until 2004.  After leaving, Cox moved into the media and transferred his rich cricketing knowledge into written and broadcast roles, as well as the world of sports administration and business, where he has held senior roles across several notable organisations such as the Australian Institute of Sport, Cricket Australia, the South Australia Cricket Association, Cricket Tasmania and St Kilda Football Club. He was a national selector for Cricket Australia from 2006 to 2011. Sir Michael Barber, the Somerset CCC Chair, remarked, “I am thrilled we have been able to recruit someone of Jamie Cox’s stature and impressive track record. His experience of integrating women’s and men’s sport, for example, is directly relevant to the challenges ahead.” He continued, “Of course, his background as a great cricketer and a successful former captain of Somerset are huge assets too. He knows and loves Somerset and the South West and I am sure our Members and supporters will be delighted to see him return here as Chief Executive.” Cox responded, “Travelling to the South West has always felt like returning home, and I am looking forward to getting back to Taunton.”  Cox Leading Somerset to the C&G Trophy in 2001 Alongside Andy CaddickNow then, Peter Fitzboyden. Sussex spent just seven weeks advertising for an Andrew replacement and chose Fitzboyden, who officially joins the club next week. Apart from being a brief interim Chief Exec at Cricket Scotland, where his role was to find a longterm CEO replacement, as well as deal with the racist issues at the time, he has no actual cricketing experience either playing or in business. Comparing him with Jamie Cox is like chalk and cheese. This is the Premiership v League 2. unofficialsussexccc.freeforums.net/post/48750Now do you see why success attracts success.
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Post by therealab1 on Mar 9, 2024 7:46:41 GMT
The headline is misleading, In your opinion this is the difference between a successful club and unsuccessful club.
It should be The Wikipedia Guide to Success
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j
2nd XI player
Posts: 107
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Post by j on Mar 9, 2024 9:29:44 GMT
The headline is misleading, In your opinion this is the difference between a successful club and unsuccessful club. It should be The Wikipedia Guide to Success At this point, I'm convinced this is Filby's burner account |
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Post by therealab1 on Mar 9, 2024 9:47:21 GMT
The headline is misleading, In your opinion this is the difference between a successful club and unsuccessful club. It should be The Wikipedia Guide to Success At this point, I'm convinced this is Filby's burner account haha because i choose to be positive i must be up Filbys a**e It is opinion and i believe WC is wrong and unfair to criticise Fitzboyden as heavily as he has done on more than one occassion before hes even taken office but he is entitled to that but im also allowed to pull him up in the same manner you have just done with me and do with most of your posts. |
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Post by lovelyboy on Mar 9, 2024 16:23:37 GMT
At this point, I'm convinced this is Filby's burner account haha because i choose to be positive i must be up Filbys a**e It is opinion and i believe WC is wrong and unfair to criticise Fitzboyden as heavily as he has done on more than one occassion before hes even taken office but he is entitled to that but im also allowed to pull him up in the same manner you have just done with me and do with most of your posts. Have to say I agree AB. Seems very weird to moan about Fitz before he’s done anything. Good appointment for me |
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sixandout
2nd XI player
Awake, alert and ready
Posts: 153
County club member: Sussex
Blacklisted by the Inner Circle: No
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Post by sixandout on Mar 9, 2024 21:29:47 GMT
Interesting post, @wicked cricket. I guess if you’re wrong, we’re all happy and if you’re right, you can say I told you so. Not really a brave forecast.
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Post by Wicked Cricket on Mar 10, 2024 8:53:58 GMT
Not really a brave forecast.
It is not a forecast at all. I am merely pointing
out the calibre of CEO, Somerset has attracted
compared to Sussex.
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