More at Stake than CSA T20 Title

Playing for their Future

    There may be a lot more to play for than promotion, relegation and titles now that the CSA T20 domestic tournament has kicked off. It could, and should be their very survival as professional provinces at stake. The status quo in South African cricket cannot remain. Reality has a tendency to hit hard when ignored.

    The scenario in which the SA20 ‘saves’ South African cricket is as popular as it is stupid and naieve. Three years ago, CSA’s annual operating costs topped a billion rand for the first time. Some pruning briefly reduced the number to around R800 million but since then the organisation has committed itself to a professional women’s game with 11 contracted players at each province.

The SA20 provided the beleaguered organisation with around R120 million. Even, as expected, when the excellent tournament’s revenue expands forcing the ILT20 to move from January into February and the Big Bash backwards into December, how much income will it generate? R300 million? R400 million?

    Most T20 Franchise Leagues are, indeed, money trees, but of the kind that devours cash rather grows it. Inflation and the bloated domestic structure will see CSA’s costs rise just as quickly as the SA20 can grow. This financial predicament has been the reality for close to a decade now, so why hasn’t it exploded yet?

Two full-format India tours have generated close to a billion rand to keep the wolves at bay and that income was almost doubled, ironically, by the deteriorating South African economy and depreciation of the rand against the US dollar, in which the revenue is paid. The third source of income which has kept CSA afloat are the ‘dividends’ from ICC events.

    Like every other nation apart from India, South Africa saw its share of the money reduced when the BCCI told the ICC to give them a whopping pay-rise last year and any chance that CSA might be looked upon favourably by the ICC in future disappeared when they brutally disrespected the World Test Championship last month. Without a meaningful or respected voice at HQ in Dubai, CSA lost the few remaining friends they may have had.

They are very much alone now with the same, looming financial crisis. CSA cannot afford to support 15 professional provincial teams and over 300 paid players. ‘Support’ is the key word there. It’s not to say 15 provinces cannot exist, but they have to be self-sustaining. Sponsors and suppliers are an important part of that, but so are gate receipts.

    Just as CSA don’t have influential friends in high places, neither do the provinces because CSA have done nothing to promote their own, domestic T20 competition. Other than issue a press release with the headline: “The CSA T20 IS BACK AND BIGGER THAN EVER BEFORE!”

    “The CSA T20 competitions have evolved into a beloved cricketing tradition, uniting communities and inspiring the next generation of cricket stars.

    “The tournaments offer players opportunities to showcase their skills on the field while instilling hope and inspiration in the youth who aspire to follow in their footsteps,” CSA CEO, Pholetsi Moseke, was quoted as saying.

    That’s right, a press release. Because we all know cricket loving families read press releases. It was issued on Thursday last week, a day after the tournament started. By comparison, the SA20 organising committee started running television commercials five months before that tournament started. Five months.   

    The earliest stages of the tournament suggest bleak prospects for the future. As much as (some of) the provinces have tried to promote their home matches, the odds of success are stacked against them. Not only are they taking place during school term-time, but the organisation with its name in the title either has no interest or idea of how to promote it.

    In Durban, Hollywoodbets have invested considerable time and money to attract fans to the stadium – and they may yet succeed if the Dolphins are successful as the tournament progresses – but even a sponsor as committed as them cannot do the job alone. The first night, pictured above, was desperate. Ideally, it shouldn’t even be a sponsor’s job.

Comparisons with other countries are difficult if not outright irrelevant, but England’s 18 counties were left to ‘make a go of it’ with the Vitality Blast tournament after the ECB had claimed the entire height of summer (August) for the still contentious Hundred. Most of the counties worked with feverish determination amongst local schools and communities, aware that their continued existence might depend on them attending.

Despite a ridiculously cramped schedule including midweek games during term-time, they have made a success of it. The UK has countless advantages over SA with disposable income and ease of access to venues incomparable but, somehow, the provinces are just going to have to find a way. Because, sooner or later, their survival really will depend on it.