Wanted: A West Indies Pro League

Earlier this month, CaribbeanCricket.com published a detailed proposal from Frank Subaran for a makeover of the West Indies cricket structure.

Following up on that proposal, CC reader 'Rastaman' puts forward his own suggestions for the creation of a professional cricket league in the West Indies...

It is common knowledge that the Windward Islands do not have sufficient batting in their team to support their usually stronger (compare to their batting) bowling attack. Meanwhile, Jamaica has some of the finest cricketers who could walk on any of the other regional teams but cannot make the Jamaican team because of the large number of quality players vying for a position in the Jamaican team.

The result is that less than worthy players in one region take up space in the domestic cricket competition that could have well been given to more promising prospects who, through no fault of theirs, were born in the wrong country. The end result is that some gifted players fall through the crack because they are denied the opportunity to further develop their cricket skills at the first class level.

I have seen the Jamaican team played against some poorer teams, demolishing them, while players like Brenton Parchment and Ricardo Powell, among others, have to sit on the sidelines. I am sure this scenario happens in other regions. The up coming season will sea a rush of young, promising cricketers knocking on the door to get a call to play first class cricket. In the Jamaican team there is Donavon Pagon, Brenton Parchment, Jerome Taylor who have done extremely well in trials but who may not play for the Jamaican team once Gayle, Hinds and Lawson return from the World Cup tournament.

Domestic cricket, besides providing parochial fans delight, must serve to develop the best prospects in the regions. The current domestic arrangement is selling itself short in that regard. I am sure the West Indies administrators are aware of this problem as evident in their Windies 'B' approach to offer some relief. But that approach is falling very short and the problem identified above remains unsolved.

THE SOLUTION:
The current domestic competition structure needs to be revamped and reorganized. Expansion in the manner it was done in the Bowl competition last year will not solve that problem, as all it does is repeat the same problem. The true solution lies in having a league setup.

In a league setup, each region would have one or two teams, depending on the level of demand and desire of cricket fans in the regions. For starters, however, a league of about 10 clubs could be established with home grounds throughout the region. Home grounds could come from Jamaica, Guyana, Barbados, Trinidad and Tobago, Antigua, Grenada, St Lucia, Dominica, St Vincent and Miami (Yes, Miami as part of the ongoing development of cricket in the Americas). As the league expands, other regions could get a club, extending as far as Canada and even into Venezuela. The bigger regions could even get two clubs as demand and desire warrant.

A draft system could be set up to establish the core players for these clubs, using a lottery system to determine the order of selection from among the current players available. Thereafter, a regional registration process would be established to get new players into the system on an annual basis, like the U.S. sports do in football and basketball.

But where will the money come from?

THE FINANCE:
To start out, the West Indies should offer, through a bidding process, these franchise clubs for private ownership, requiring an initial price for these clubs rights (chi-ching for the WICB). Annual fees paid to the WICB will also help finance the board's operations. Individuals, group of individuals or incorporated companies would privately own franchise clubs, which would be run like any typical for-profit business. A salary cap will limit them so that Club X cannot go out and buy all the best players because they have a deeper pocket.

The toughest part will be to sell this concept to the public and identify potential owners. However, once the business proposal is drawn up, I am confident potential investors would be sold on it. Fans and sponsors will get on board once they see it as a viable enterprise, both for entertainment value and for the financial rewards. Initially, the profit will not come flowing in. But once all the marketing, commercial rights, regional broadcasting and other important infrastructures are in place, sponsors will line up to get on board.

Remember, the interest will widen from a local one to one off a wider regional base. Fan base will still have local support as fans will have connection to the club in their immediate area. But there will some shift from a national standpoint to one that is more reflective of individual performances.

Players get paid by their clubs and if they make the West Indies senior team, they are paid by the WICB for international matches. Players who have West Indies international match obligations during the cricket season and during their contractual period should still be paid by the WICB. However, the club should be reimbursed by the WICB to the extent that a player cannot fulfill his club contract because of West Indies duties. In that situation, however, the player who makes the WI team will be compensated at a much higher level than that of his club contract.

CRICKET STANDARD:
It means each club is a professional club with a full staff on its own payroll. Each club would run its own affairs and have their head coach, operations manager, etc. The crux of this kind of arrangement is that teams will be competitive as they will have the best available players playing against each on a weekly basis during the cricket season.

They will be playing not only for glory but also for food on their table and that will provide enough incentive for players to follow a disciplined approach to achieve their full development into professional cricketers. Because the standard of cricket will be raised, it simply means the cream will rise to the top. It also means other leagues in England and elsewhere may even come doling out big money to top-class players for whom clubs here would want to make sure they are protected and are adequately compensated in such instances.

Each club would make sure it has the best coaches (batting, bowling, fielding, etc) to develop its players. The WICB will stand to gain. Its source of money from current arrangements will not change. But it will get further monies through club franchises and annual fees. West Indies past players will stand to gain through employment in various capacities in these professional clubs.

Most of all, the best players would be afforded good coaches within the clubs and provided the opportunity to play and develop to the best of their abilities. There will be more at stake for these players and so they will do their best. Clubs will provide coaching to players who, in the current setup, are often left alone to their own wiles.

Can the WICB take an honest, objective, in-depth look at this proposal? Where is Chris Dehring? His plate is full right now but I'm sure he can make some pertinent comments here. It will take some a bold step and some critical decisions on the part of the WICB. But it is obvious that some crucial changes are needed in the regional domestic cricket setup.

The smart and open mind will be bold and take some initiatives; the weak and timid will stall in their old ways and languish like the old sugar estates throughout the region. Be enterprising, WICB, and take that bold step.

Finally, this article cannot provide all the details. But hopefully it will start the discussion among the powers that be.