Cricket: Showcase is under threat

Trent Boult. Photo / Brett Phibbs

A crucial New Zealand window to the international cricketing world will be lost if the Champions League is scrapped.

The tournament's future is in jeopardy due to poor crowds, sponsorship and television ratings. The BCCI, who own 50 per cent of the Champions League, are reportedly keen to cut their losses because matches not involving Indian Premier League teams rate poorly in India.

Cricinfo reported the stakeholding governing bodies from India, Australia and South Africa will meet tomorrow to assess their options and the BCCI need to convince one of their major partners to drop the tournament - Cricket Australia own 30 per cent and Cricket South Africa 20 per cent.

The Champions League, which involves the best T20 franchises worldwide, is an avenue where local talent, such as Trent Boult last year for Northern Districts and Jimmy Neesham in 2013 with Otago, can seize opportunities on a big stage and enhance their careers.

Boult has since become one of cricket's most respected white-ball bowlers, complementing his test performances, and is currently playing for Sunrisers Hyderabad on a $814,000 contract.

A back stress fracture means Neesham has been unable to fulfil his commitments for the Kolkata Knight Riders - he played for the Delhi Daredevils last year.

New Zealand franchises also do well out of it financially, with each qualifying team guaranteed an appearance fee of US$200,000 split into seven parts between the country's major associations (two for the invited franchise and one each for the unsuccessful five).

A New Zealand team is yet to make it past the group stage in six editions. Wellington were set to earn the lion's share this year after their triumph in the Georgie Pie Super Smash but their participation is in doubt.

On the flipside, the international calendar is already chock-full of international and franchise-based fixtures and New Zealand's current success means players are not short of offers from T20 leagues.

If the tournament is axed, the revenue models of the IPL franchises will also be affected because a component of sponsorship and player salaries is based on Champions League qualification.

There's also a political element involved. Since the formation of the Big Three (India, Australia and England) to dominate cricket's governance, ties between India and England have thawed. England was originally sought as a member of the Champions League structure but opted out when the BCCI refused to allow the participation of rebel Indian Cricket League players in English franchises.

In the meantime, the goodwill between India and South Africa reduced once the latter was excluded from the Big Three.