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Martin Williamson
October 11, 2011
A new venture to promote cricket inside the USA is to be announced shortly involving a domestic Twenty20 tournament which, it is hoped, will attract a raft of overseas players. Cynics may be forgiven for thinking they have seen many previous ventures come and go but the difference this time is that it is well-funded, professionally managed, and comes in line with the ICC's declared strategic ambition to target and grow key new markets.
ICC and other boards for years watching the U.S., possibly a massive franchise and sponsorship market, no one has managed to come close to tapping. But now America Cricket Holdings LLC (ACH), a joint venture between New Zealand Cricket (NZC) and the United States of America Cricket Association (USAC), aims to do just that.
There are two parts to this project. The first is to stage a four-to six-team Twenty20 competition from July, with pages of foreign professionals, supplemented by local players, as happened in the IPL. The second is for the CHA to stage international matches in the United States.
The idea was conceived between Neil Maxwell and New Zealand Cricket CEO Justin Vaughan. Maxwell is a former first class player who is now an agent of players such as Brett Lee and Michael Hussey. He also spent one season as general manager of the Kings XI Punjab IPL franchise. NZC Moreover, aware of the limitations of operating in a very small market, was looking for ways to expand its borders and increase revenue. Maxwell NZC with USAC and the long-term outcome was a joint venture between the two. Funding to date has come from all investors in the AMP.
NZC reasons were largely borne out of their need to manage risk. "New Zealand Cricket should be less dependent on revenues from traditional cricket FTP and try to cultivate new sources of revenue," said Vaughan. "Cultivating our financial strength allows us to invest in the game at all levels and to ensure our best talent. "
The agreement, CHA operates T20 tournament and potentially lucrative international arena games Full Member teams. "The goal is to raise capital and generate fee USAC provide opportunities for growth of the game," Maxwell said. "CHA can take advantage of commercial property, submit an annual declaration."
T20 tournament is at the heart of the plans. Several systems, most are not even half-baked, has come and gone. Then, two and a half years ago, Don Lockerbie, the time has just been appointed the first CEO of USAC full-time, described a large IPL-style plan, but it ultimately flounder on the lack of investment and internal policy. Lockerbie has since left, but Maxwell believes that there are significant differences between the previous attempts to exploit the market and the ACS.
"In order to attract the value of this is a feature of some of the best players in the world. This time, there is a full member of the country concerned, and corresponds to the strategy of the CPI. As a result, has the ability to attract international players, while others Ventures. I do not criticize those people, but this is a boon to the competent authorities. NZC is the result of this, and is a benefit of cricket in the United States. "
CHA plans to launch the first tournament in July or August "The U.S. is flush with the English season, and it is a period much less crowded, so there are better options at the time. We are not big windows ... nothing more than a few weeks in the early years. If we just waited for a hole that we would have places in the short term. "
Asked if this might increase the anger of other motherboards, Maxwell said that was unlikely. "All members are aware of what we do and no one has shown any major problems with it. In fact, there are many supporters in the hope that the market is accessible."
Although it is likely to be considerable interest from a large community of expatriates in the United States, Maxwell acknowledged the challenge will be to take the match in the consumer market. "We need to present a compelling entertainment product, as opposed to a good cricket right We must learn from IPL -. Good and bad -. And we must take the game to a large market, it is spasmodic previous but now we have to create a platform of credibility to have a broader appeal, we need to attract quality players -. like football has done with David Beckham -. but we can not do without the help "
But the calendar is already packed to the second Twenty20 competition? "" Cricket World does not need it, but benefit as a result to open the U.S. market as the cricket again. All cricket will benefit from the U.S. introduction of the game. New on the market only to improve the value of broadcast rights, and encourages the growth of new audiences and, ultimately, players. "
Maxwell said the international matches have also been essential to the company. "AMP has the right to organize a day of games in the United States. New Zealand is involved in a number of games each year as part of U.S. involvement in cricket."
The sites are still a problem. Last year, a triangular series in New Zealand, Sri Lanka and the United States has been weakened by a bad seat in Florida, Maxwell admits that to be sorted. "We need to create places and plans are in place to improve existing products and modify other stages. For T20 tournament, we would be willing to use artificial pitches if necessary. Not necessarily in the first year, but we look opportunities. "
Maxwell is aware of the current problems of USAC. "More aid needed is administrative and NZC is known for its sound management and governance structure. We are pushing the base of the USAC will take the necessary steps to support its Constitution and its stakeholders. We hope this is a short-term problem that ACH is a long-term. "
CHA is advertising internationally experienced CEO and T20 league commissioner later this week, and at the end of the month there are more meetings in the United States to start planning for 2012. As support for this project, it may be that when so many false dawns, this could finally be the time when the growth potential in the United States has finally recovered professionally.
Martin Williamson is the editor of the editorial and management ESPNcricinfo ESPN Digital Media in Europe, Middle East and Africa
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