The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) secured for itself the biggest share from the International Cricket Council (ICC)’s bumper media-rights proceeds (approximately $ 3.2 billion, 2024-27) – around 38.5 percent share from the estimated $ 600 million annual earnings, after the conclusion of the ICC board meeting in Durban on Thursday.
The only change from the revenue sharing formula proposed in the last quarterly meet is an allotment for ‘a strategic investment fund’. The exact amount is ‘yet-to-be-determined’ said an ICC official, but it will not affect the share member boards take home.
“Every ICC Member will receive significantly enhanced funding with a strategic investment fund ring-fenced to drive global growth initiatives,” the ICC said in a media release.
The India board will now take over $ 230 million, annually; significantly more than the last cycle; both in absolute terms (from $50 million to over $230 million) and in terms of percentages (from 22% to 38.5%).
The next highest-earning cricket boards will be in three tiers. England’s ECB, Australia’s CA, and Pakistan’s PCB will earn equally between 6-7 % each. They will be followed by West Indies’ Cricket West Indies, South Africa’s CSA, New Zealand’s NZC, Bangladesh’s BCB and Sri Lanka’s SLC.
In the third tier will be the cricket boards of Zimbabwe, Afghanistan and Ireland. Every cricket board other than the BCCI would be getting a percentage share in single digits.
Despite this, there wasn’t any serious pushback in the Finance and Commercial Affair Committee meet, chaired by BCCI secretary Jay Shah – this committee made recommendations to the ICC board – to change revenue sharing percentages, as every member board including the associates stand to gain significantly more to what they were earning in the last cycle. The BCCI takes the biggest bite as the contribution from the Indian market is now estimated to be over 85 %.
“The success of our media rights and commercial programme for our next four-year cycle means we are able to invest more money than ever before into our sport,” ICC Chair Greg Barclay said.
4 OVERSEAS PLAYER CAP FOR FUTURE LEAGUES
In other decisions, it was decided that new events (read T20 and T10 leagues) requiring a sanction will need to ensure the playing XI of each team includes a minimum of seven local or Associate Member players.
Additionally, a solidarity fee will be payable from the organizing member to the home board of a player. While these moves – both are in place in IPL – were inevitable with leagues mushrooming around the cricket world, it’s still a major reprieve for the ILT20 league held in Dubai and MLC, soon to begin in the US, where as many as 9 and 6 overseas players take the field.
PAY PARITY
In a progressive move, the ICC board agreed to increase prize money of women’s world events and brought them in line with men’s events.
“I am thrilled to announce a major step towards gender parity & inclusivity. The prize money at all @ICC events will be same for men & women. Together we grow,” BCCI secretary Shah tweeted.
“This is a significant moment in the history of our sport, and I am delighted that men’s and women’s cricketers competing at ICC global events will now be rewarded equally,” said Barclay.
