BUSINESS GAME
Global League yet to start, but losing millions
Cricket SA and SuperSport seem to have a significant difference of opinion over broadcast rights
The T20 Global League (T20GL) has yet to see the lights of day/night, but is already costing millions in losses. The league, SA’s bid to join the made-for-TV T20 circus that has swept the world game and‚ not by accident‚ created a rich stream of revenue‚ is to be played in November and December. "What successful competitions such as the IPL [Indian Premier League]‚ the Big Bash in Australia and Pakistan’s Super League have shown us is that cricket is no longer just a game — it is now big business‚" Cricket SA’s latest annual report says in what sounds like breathless expectation of funnelling some of that business their way. To hammer this point home‚ the report dangled a carrot, stating: "Global sport sponsorship spend is forecast to reach over $62bn and global sporting media rights spend are expected to hit $45bn in 2017." But elsewhere in the report‚ which was tabled at Cricket SA’s annual meeting at the weekend‚ came the less rosy fact that: "During the period under review T20GL...
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