The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) and its chairman Najam Sethi have expressed their dissatisfaction with the proposed new revenue distribution model for international cricket. While acknowledging India as the game’s financial powerhouse, the PCB has raised concerns regarding the allocation of revenue shares among the cricketing nations. Sethi, in an interview with Reuters, revealed that the PCB accepts India’s entitlement to the largest share but demands transparency in the process.
The International Cricket Council (ICC), the global governing body for cricket, has put forward a revised revenue-sharing model for the upcoming 2024-2027 cycle. The model is set to be discussed and voted upon at the ICC’s upcoming board meeting in June. However, leaked figures obtained by Cricinfo indicate that India would receive 38.5 percent of the revenue share, with England and Australia receiving 6.89 percent and 6.25 percent, respectively. Pakistan, on the other hand, would receive 5.75 percent, primarily from the sale of its media rights.
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Out of the ICC’s projected earnings, the twelve full member countries would collectively receive 88.81 percent, while the remaining percentage would be allocated to the ICC’s 96 associate members.
Chairman Sethi has demanded that the ICC provide a detailed explanation of how these figures were determined. He emphasized that the current situation is unsatisfactory and stated that unless the ICC provides the requested information, the PCB will not approve the financial model in June.
India, being the major revenue generator for the ICC, contributes an estimated 80 percent of its total revenue. Last year, Disney Star acquired the media rights for the Indian market for the 2024-2027 period, investing a staggering $3 billion. Chairman Sethi highlighted that the PCB has already approached the ICC to clarify the role of its finance and commercial affairs committee, headed by Jay Shah, the secretary of the Indian cricket board, in determining the revenue share.
While the proposed revenue distribution model ensures that all nations will receive an increased share of the revenue, Sethi mentioned that at least two other Test-playing nations have expressed their discontent and also sought further details.
As of now, the ICC has not provided an immediate comment on the matter. The revenue-sharing model, which takes into account factors such as a country’s team performance and its contribution to the ICC’s commercial revenue, has sparked significant discussion within the cricketing world.
Chairman Sethi acknowledged the legitimacy of India receiving a larger share due to its prominent role in the cricketing landscape. However, he raised concerns about the process behind formulating the revenue distribution table.
The proposed revenue split has drawn criticism from former England captain Mike Atherton. In an article for The Times newspaper, Atherton expressed his apprehension about the “flawed” model, fearing that it would exacerbate the existing inequality within the game. He argued that such a distribution would reinforce the dominance of already strong cricketing nations, weaken the weaker ones, and ultimately result in a decline in the competitiveness of international cricket, which is detrimental to the sport’s long-term interests.
In conclusion, the Pakistan Cricket Board, led by chairman Najam Sethi, has voiced its dissatisfaction with the proposed revenue distribution model for international cricket. While acknowledging India’s financial contributions, the PCB seeks transparency and a thorough explanation from the ICC regarding the determination of revenue shares. The proposed model has already drawn criticism from other Test-playing nations as well. It remains to be seen how the ICC addresses these concerns and whether any adjustments will be made to the revenue distribution table in the best interest of international cricket.
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