Salon Prives and Beauty Treatments
Salon Prives, Game Drives and Beauty Treatments
At the height of the Sun City Million Dollar’s popularity with the world’s best golfers it wasn’t, believe it or not, the prize-money which attracted many of the top-10 golfers to the Pilanesberg, it was the ‘other stuff’ which the resort and the organisers offered which made it so appealing.
Difficult as it might be to digest, the prospect of winning a million dollars was neither here nor there for the established royalty of the game although there was the challenge of winning a unique tournament on a magnificent golf course. But that was hardly a rare phenomenon.
Since it used to be played ‘out of season’ and during the main tours’ holiday or traditional ‘rest’ time, it had to be family-friendly, or ‘partner friendly.’ And travel had to be quick and easy with parking for the private jet as close to the first tee as possible. Which it was.
Children had the time of their lives in the Valley of the Waves, there were personal game-drives whenever they were required and beauty treatments and massages were on-tap. For the young, free and single – and those in their 40s whose families had other commitments - there were alternative sources of amusement and entertainment off the golf course. You’d be surprised at how many famous golfers enjoyed an indulgence at the roulette or poker tables, in private if required.
These days the Million Dollar is a ‘proper’ tournament offering world ranking points to an enlarged field so it doesn’t need to go out of its way to attract the stars, although the resort still does a good job of doing that anyway. At one point Tiger Woods set up his own tournament in direct competition with the dates of the Million Dollar which obviously ruled him out coming to South Africa but, by then, the tournament was established.
Cricket in South Africa has a challenge far greater than the Million Dollar Challenge ever had. Not only do they have to establish a new T20 tournament from scratch in January, they’re up against one which is already established in the same window – and another one which plans to start at the same time with a far greater budget than South Africa’s can hope for.
Fortunately, Australia’s Big Bash is in terminal decline having expanded to almost two months and devalued an over-exposed product. Overseas players are disincentivised from participating by the prospect of spending seven weeks away from home between December 5 and January 28. But Cricket Australia’s lucrative television deal (the money is in the bank) means they are committed to the schedule and cannot back down. Somehow, they must reverse declining attendance figures and convince a weary public that the tournament still deserves to dominate the peak months of summer.
The inaugural UAE T20 has been announced for the middle of January and has already firmed up strong Indian links with the Mumbai Indians and Kolkata Knight Riders have invested in two of the six teams. It has been widely reported that the league will be offering its top-ranked international players $300k for a month’s work.
Perhaps Cricket South Africa’s new league and its critical partners, Supersport, should not worry itself unduly about hiring international players, at least for the first year. How much difference do they make, especially if the international television rights have already been sold? The problem with having an international player ‘quota’ of four per franchise is that imposters and has-beens are hired and talented local players miss out.
But, as things stand currently, there is an even greater threat to the solid establishment of the tournament. The availability of even the best local players.
Although Cricket Australia hasn’t yet announced its international fixtures for the summer, the three-Test series against South Africa is confirmed for Brisbane in mid-December and Melbourne and Sydney for Boxing Day and New Year, with the SCG Test starting on Jan 3. The problem is that there is also a World Cup Super League qualification ODI series scheduled immediately after the Tests, bang in the middle of January. A CA official told me those fixtures are ‘locked in.’ A lowly CSA official told me “…we are negotiating with CA to move them.” CA say they are unaware of these ‘negotiations.’
The problem gets worse. England are so confident that they will be arriving in Cape Town to play their Covid-postponed ODI series from 2020 that some travel agents are already advertising tour packages. Moving the Australia ODIs might be logistically possible but there is scant goodwill to do so. Moving the England ODIs is impossible with a ridiculous winter schedule which sees them touring Bangladesh, Pakistan and New Zealand.
Not only will there be a shortage of ‘attractive’ international cricketers, but South Africa’s best limited overs players could also be missing for all-but a game or two. Even the entire tournament.
Gimmicks and ad-ons never, ever make a tournament succeed. Unfortunately the Big Bash is proving that. Above all the Million Dollar produced thrilling golf which is the main attraction. The same will apply to South Africa’s new T20 league. But it will need its own best players, if not those from the rest of the world. A few well-considered extras will help, but it will live and die by the quality of the cricket.
I'd just like to say the reports of the death of the BBL are greatly exaggerated!
:-)
It reached dizzying heights 5 years ago, and it certainly has dropped some 40% since then in terms of ratings. But with an average audience of 630,000 across 62 games it is still a significant 'product'. So it will survive for the next 2 years with some minor tweaks, and then when the new Broadcast cycle kicks in it will have some major tweaks (reduced timeframe, less games).
One thing CA will be trying very hard to do as a minor tweak is to get the Test stars playing BBL and not dragging ODI stars like Maxwell out of the BBL for ODI games. Cummins, Starc, Hazy, Smith, Warner have really never played BBL, and I think I can say not a single game between them in the last at last 2 seasons.
I suspect that this will work in SA's favour, as my money is on CA moving (or postponing) those ODI games in mid Jan as it will suit both countries to have their star players available for their respective T20 leagues.
I've had an idea like this for a while, but never quite put the email into gsmith@csa.org.za to get the ball rolling. It's obvious that the supply:demand curve for T20 tournaments is weighted badly, so the only way for a new tournament to gain any traction is to do something different. We will never compete on $$$ terms, and won't be able to demand a permanent window for our schedule as the Big 3 will always dictate how and when we get to have some fun.
This new tournament in Jan 2023 is nothing new, and the press release even says it is "Modelled along the lines of T20 events worldwide, the focus will be on all-action cricketsportainment" 6 franchise teams playing each other twice with the top 3 advancing, 32 games in all. I don't see it working, the whole point of bish bash T20 is to get it over with quickly, here is probably a 3/4 week schedule that just won't find the window to attract players.
During FIFA 2010 some teams chose to base themselves at lodges and resorts outside of the big centres, (France and Denmark went to Knysna, Japan to Fancourt and few to Umhlanga rocks) far from the actual stadiums. Maybe it wasn't the best for performance as the semi-finalists were based in Kimberley, Potch, Centurion and Sandton, but I'm sure they had fun. That world cup was always going to be an "african adventure" and game parks and the big five was a theme that ran through it - focus on doing what you're best at.
It is along the lines of the Million Dollar Golf challenge that I think CSA could offer something different. How about this for an idea?
5 teams - either franchise purchased or the hybrid of local teams with a player draft
Kicks off with a fri evening game at Newlands, double header Sat and a day game Sunday.
Monday+ tuesday single day games in plett/knsyna*
Wed+Thurs single day games somewhere in the bush**
Fri double header in Centurion to close out RR stage, teams 4/5 eliminated
Sat Wanderers - qualifier for teams 2 and 3 on the log
Sun Wanderers - final between qualifier winner and team 1 on log.
The entire tournament could fit into 10 days, which could see you attracting some marquee players. Rain is an issue but you can build a reserve slot into it on the sat am. It's pretty obvious that the revenues for T20 do not come from the gate, but the mix between interesting locations and classic stadiums keeps it interesting. Off field you could put an amazing experience together for both the WAGS and dignitaries as well as spectator tours.
*there is a field at Pezula, but probably too small for a top class cricket game. Plenty of polo venues that could take a drop in pitch in Plett.
**does Leopard Creek Golf Estate have a field? I am sure with all the safari lodges in the kruger area you can find a place to play some good cricket, surrounded by luxury.