BCCI old guard lashes out at ICC's proposed revenue model

What’s the story?

The ICC has proposed a new revenue model which will be a major revamp to the present model framed in 2014. With the current system in place, the BCCI gains about 20.3% of ICC's revenue and about 33.5% of the surplus.

But according to the recently proposed model, BCCI will take a dip of 10.3% in revenue income and 18.2% less earnings through surplus. The proposal has exasperated the board members and one of them has stated, “There was a scientific formula to the 2014 model. It stated that India, England and Australia would earn maximum revenue based on the logic that they brought maximum revenue to the ICC".

In case you didn’t know

BCCI is the richest Cricket body in the world and boasts an annual revenue of $445 million. The current ICC chairman Shashank Manohar was the President of BCCI before Anurag Thakur succeeded him.

India, along with Australia and England, gain nearly 40% of the ICC revenue and they are termed as ‘The Big 3’ for being economic giants in cricket. The rest of the Full Members along with the Associate Members receive just 30% of revenues on aggregate.

The heart of the matter

The long-standing members of the BCCI have griped over the latest ICC proposal. Last week, the ICC proposed a new model which will hamper the income BCCI collects annually. ICC’s 2017 model does not involve any scientific calculation and merely involves the distribution of gains by good-faith. The proposed model ensures that all the Full Members shall receive about 10% of the revenue generated.

According to the current model, the BCCI earns about $569 million theoretically per annum. But practically it receives only $445 million and with the new prototype, it will get $289 million. This has left the BCCI fuming who have expressed their disapproval of the same.

In addition to this, the BCCI faces a plunge in the surplus as well. If the latest proposal is accepted and implemented then the BCCI will receive a surplus of only 15.3% which is not even half as much as it garnered earlier.

ICC also stated that the new proposal is not indefinite and will apply only to the financial rights cycle of 2015-2023. This leaves India in a spot of bother as it will now be a recipient of income same as the minnows like Zimbabwe and Afghanistan.

What’s next?

After Manohar become the independent ICC President in 2016, he expressed his desire to make the income more equitable and fair to Full Members. The move will not get a go-ahead unless all the Full members are convinced.

Sportskeeda’s take

For the last decade, India has been the protagonist amidst the Full Members. It is definitely not adverse to voice their disapproval to accept the same share as other countries given that India has always wanted to consolidate its position at the top for the valuable contributions to ICC.