West Indies Pro League

THE FORMATIOM OF A West Indies Professional League (WIPL)


Background
It is now widely accepted that the formation and operation of a professional cricket league in the Caribbean is of vital importance to the success of West Indies cricket. Against this background, a special committee has been established by the West Indies Cricket Board to create the framework for a professional cricket league with the following objectives.

OBJECTIVES
L Improve the standard and quality of the game on a sustained basis
L Revitalize domestic cricket in the West Indies

Mission Statement
To create a profitable professional cricket league with players and teams that are competitive, that aids in player development in the caribbean AND TO provide affordable family entertainment.

Situation analysis - league cricket worldwide

¨ Australia
¨ governance structure has some elements of and closely resembles the franchise business model (see below)
Cricket Australia is the governing body for professional and amateur cricket in Australia. Cricket Australia operates the Australian cricket team, organising Test tours and one-day internationals with other nations. It also organises domestic cricket in Australia, including the Pura Cup first-class competition and the Ford Ranger One Day Cup domestic one-day competition. Australia's two major domestic first-class competitions. Six teams take part in these competitions. In the Pura Cup Each of the six state teams play in a round-robin series of home and away 4-day matches against every other team. Teams are awarded points based on the results of the match, and after each pair of teams have played each other twice, the two highest ranked teams play a 5-day final. The Ford Ranger Cup limited overs competition runs concurrently.

¨ England
¨ governance structure has some elements of and closely resembles the franchise business model (see below)

There are eighteen professional county clubs, seventeen of them in England and one in Wales. All seventeen English counties are named after, and were originally representative of, historic English counties.
Each summer the county clubs compete in the first class County Championship, which consists of two leagues of nine teams and in which matches are played over four days.
The same teams also play the one day National League, a one day knock out competition called the Friends Provident Trophy, and the short-form Twenty20 Cup. These clubs are heavily dependent on subsidies from the England and Wales Cricket Board, which makes its money from television and endorsement contracts and attendances at international matches.
The Minor Counties Cricket Championship is a season-long competition in England for county clubs that do not have first-class status. There are nineteen teams representing historic English counties along with a Welsh minor counties team.

¨ South Africa
¨ governance structure has some elements of and closely resembles the franchise business model (see below)
Cricket South Africa is the governing body for professional and amateur cricket in South Africa.
South Africa's two major domestic competitions are the SuperSport Series (four day first class competition), the MTN Domestic Championship (List A one-day competition) and Standard Bank Pro20 Series (domestic Twenty20 competition). Generally encompassing more than one provincial associate team, six first-class teams take part in these competitions

¨ League cricket in the West Indies

The West Indies Cricket Board (WICB) is the governing body for professional and amateur cricket in the West Indies (a sporting confederation of over a dozen mainly English-speaking Caribbean countries and dependencies that formed the British West Indies). It also organises domestic cricket in West Indies, including the Carib Beer Cup first-class competition and the KFC Cup domestic one-day (List A) competition which are the two major domestic competitions and more recently the Stanford 20/20 (domestic Twenty20 competition - mainly funded and organzied by Sir Allen Stanford). Other domestic competitions include the TCL Under-19 West Indies Challenge (three-day first class competition), TCL Under-19 West Indies Challenge Limited Overs Series (one-day limited overs competition).
The domestic competitions operated by the WICB are different from those operated by the other test playing nations above in terms of the duration of the competitions. The domestic cricket competitions in the Caribbean are of a shorter duration than those in the other test playing nations. This likely attributable to the unique circumstances faced by the WICB i.e. it being composed of individual territories. Each of these territories through its own cricket association is responsible for cricket development in its geographical area. From competitions organized by each territorial association they then select a team to participate in the WICB organiszed domestic competitions. These competitions are generally seen as a means of selecting players for the West Indies senior and ‘A’ teams and not significantly contributing to development, which is left to the territorial boards.
A pro league it is proposed would seek to address this situation and bringing domestic cricket in the Caribbean in line with other test playing nations.

Core Areas
The following core areas have been identified as critical to the success of any professional cricket league in the caribbean.

1. Ownership Structure/BUSINESS MODEL
The ownership structure of the WIPL can also be structured based on the following models:
¨ Franchise Model - North America
L closed League
L teams are owned by individuals/groups of investors
L teams assigned to specific geographical regions
L team owners sit on board of league
L select a commisioner to oversee day-to-day operations of league on their behalf
L commissioner reports to owners.
L teams generally share revenues generated by league
L players come from mainly draft system or through supplemental league
L no promotion and relegation of teams

¨ Corporation Model - Europe
L open League
L teams in league own at least one share in the league
L if a team is relegated, share(s) are transferred to promoted team
L team owners sit on the board of league
L governing body for particular sport also has a seat on the board
L main sponsorship revenue share among teams (for operations) and governing body (for development)
L teams responsible for generating other revenue
L players come from other leagues or team academies
L no affiliation with other teams
L Promotion and relegation of teams

¨ Single-entity - North America
L closed League
L governing body grants right to establish/operate pro league to single –entity
L entity must comply with poicies as established by governing body
L single-entity owns all shares in league
L ownership then creates franchises/teams
L each owner may have at least one franchise
L number of franchises based on ownership share
L owners appoints/hires general managers (gm) to manage day-to-day operation of teams
L Gm reports to league owners
L Matters of finance, marketing, revenue generation etc. rests with league owners
L players come from draft system, other leagues or developmental leagues
L affiliation with other leagues
L no promotion and relegation of teams

2. Governance Structure (See Competition sturcture – below)

Of the models set out above two are most suited to the governance structure for cricket exisiting in the caribbean. these are the corporation model and the single-entity model. these models would allow the wicb to have a say in how the league is operated and affects or contributes to the overall development of cricket in the region. through affiliation with other LEAGUES, SCHOOLS or grass roots development in general.
If it is proposed that the league be composed of club teams instead of regional TEAMS AND since there is also likely to be no promotion & relegation system then THE SINGLE-entity model would be seen as a desireable option for organizing the ownership structure the WIPL. IT would allow the WICB to have a say in the leagues operations but more so to focus on grassroots development across the region (see ownership structure –ABOVE).
L Governing Council – WICB
L Single Entity Board – Stanford or new private sector entity (or the wicb could be granted a seat on single-entity board)

if it is decided that the league be composed of regional teams then the corporation model would be ideal and this model would be a natural fit. in the last domestic competition organized by the wicb there were regional teams, a combined universities team and a youth team. using this composition format along with the corporation MODEL WOULD see each regional team being granted one share of the league ownership. If the wicb(directly or through a subsidiary) were to say sponsor the youth team then they too would be given a share of the league ownership.

3. Competition Structure

In deciding on the competition format that should be adopted for a professional cricket league in the caribbean there are some factors that need to be considered. the format chosen had to fit in with the objectives set out for the establishment of the league i.e. generates commercial opportunities, entertains fans and promotes player development.
also the current governance structure of cricket in the region would also affect the competition structure of the league as the wicb presently runs first-class cricket competitions primarily to aid in the selection of players for the west indies senior cricket team.
two options for the competition structure of the WIPL are likely available in this case i.e. (1). turn the wicb first-class competitions into a pro league, and use this for development and as the selection process for the west indies team; or (2) establish a separate pro league alongside the existing structures but with a different playing format.
the competition format chosen is going to be crictical especially as it relates to funding (see below) and other objectives of the league such as entertainment value.
· There are varying options that exist as regards the playing structure of WIPL:
L 4-day cricket (first class) – Most suited to the player development objective.
This format is popular in most ICC test playing nations. Though these contests closely resemble the oldest version of the game (test cricket) and can provide excitement to cricket enthusiasts it can be very tedious for those new to the game.
L 3-day cricket – Most suited to the player development objective
This format is not very popular in test playing nations. It is used in the West Indies for youth cricket competitions.
L 2-day cricket – Most suited to player development and entertainment objectives
this format is very popular in most of the leagues organized by the regional cricket boards in the Caribbean.
L 50-over cricket – Most suited to player development, entertainment and commercial objectives
This format is usually used as a marketing tool for the main competition which is usually the 4-day first class competition. Used by and large to attract non-diehard fans to the game.
L 20/20 cricket – Most suited to entertainment and commercial objectives.
Typically viewed as a promotional/marketing tool for main cricket league. However, this format would have to merit serious consideration if as proposed teams from North America are going to be included in any pro league established in the Caribbean.

TEAMS

The composition of the WIPL can also be organized using different models:
L Six (6) regional teams eg. Jamaica, T&T, Barbados etc.
L Six (6) regional teams eg. Jamaica, T&T, Barbados etc. plus the USA team or other national teams.
L Eight (8) club teams from territories eg. Kingston Cricket Club, Queens Park Cricket Club plus 2 teams from USA/.

FORMAT

¨ straight league format
L teams play each other once or twice (home and away)
L team with most points wins league
¨ league format with playoffs
L teams divided into zones or divisions
L teams play each other once [inter-zone] &/or twice [intra-zone] (home and away)
L teams with most points wins respective zone/division
L zone/division winners enter playoff for championship

4. Funding
At the completion of the analysis of the core areas a costing must be ascertained for the project over the medium to long term. Once this exercise is complete then a strategy to obtain the required funding must be constructed.

¨ Sponsorship
L league named after sponsor (dependent on ownership structure)
L other sponsorship
¨ television rights
¨ gate receipts (dependent on playing structure)
¨ licensing & merchadising
¨ refreshment concession