In reply to Norm
Norm, you are right on the money...



Everyone thinks that replacing WICB will solve the problem..... However they fail to see that WICB is operating just like any other corp or government in the region.... Like I said previously, this is a regional economic problem. Fix the economy, provide jobs for people, imporve quality of live and living standards, and Cricket will florish like it is in Australia, England, India, Pakistan etc.

In reply to Jimmy



I'm sorry but the evidence does not support your theory. Cricket florished in the decades before the 90's when the economy and living standards in much of the caribbean were far worse than they are now. Go back to the drawing board and come up with another theory.

I find it very interesting that when I launch my attacks on the incompetence of the Pirates there are very few persons who voice their opinions , pro or con .

But are now willing to do so regarding Cricket coverage . In SVG , Cricket coverage in audio and video is generally sponsored by the Lottery Board and local Companies .

Carib Beer commercials are also heard so I suppose that the company runs commercials .

I was very surprised that in March last year , in Barbados , the West Indies overseas tour was not covered on the local TV , but was on cable , which incured a cost .

In SVG people with regular TV see the matches , which as I said are sponsored by the Lottery Authority . Local firms like ECGC ( Eastern Caribbean Group of Companies ) also have their commercials run to help defray the cost of transmission . In SVG the Lottery Authority is charged with promoting Sports and Cultural Activities .

In my opinion it is incumbent on the Regional Boards to have Cricket diseminated to Cricketers and fans of their respective countries . I have no idea what is their input , if any into getting Regional matches broadcast on Radio.

I am also of the opinion that it is the job of the local radio stations to line up sponsors to defray the cost of transmitting the matches on radio.

The Regional Cricket Tournaments happen every year , this fact is well known in the Region . Therefore , again in my opinion the Regional Boards and the local Radio Stations have absolutely no excuse for not lining up sponsors etc. so that matches can be broadcast on Radio.

Perhaps The Radio stations really dont make enough of an effort to have the matches broadcast , local persons would be able to inform us whether this is true or not .

In reply to Zikdaman



Right, Zik.

That approach is being employed very successfully in developed countries, and more recently in countries like India. These people see major sports teams as a business - from infrastructure all the way to selling tickets and pop corn at games.

Cities like New York, San Francisco, etc, are very proud of the teams they host. We see the same thing in Australia, Brazil, etc. The system is not perfect but it helps to channel private investment into sports infrastructure, broadcasting, professionalism, etc, with both government and private parties making money from it.

Plus, it provides a predictable environment for wealthy individuals to put money into sports.

Norm

In reply to POINT



What if potential sponsors don't see enough value in the cost of sponsoring cricket programming? What can the radio station do about that?

In reply to Norm

Interesting thought Norm. So what exactly do you think regional governments should be doing? Let's have some concrete ideas on the way forward.

In reply to Zikdaman

Carib Beer I am sure as the Sponsors of the Regional Tournament would I believe put ads on local radio stations .

My point is that it is incumbent on both the local Boards and the Radio Stations to go out there and persuade buisness houses to advertise during the commentary of matches which in my opinion means that the will be sponsors have on these occasions a captive audience .

But to reiterate , , in my opinion , THE LOCAL BOARDS & THE RADIO STATIONS need to get up off their duffs and seek sponsorship. BY DOING THAT IN MY OPINION THEY WOULD TANGIBLY DEMONSTRATE THEIR COMMITMENT TO CRICKET IN THE REGION .

In reply to POINT



So you think Carib beer would sponsor the tournament AND also pay the radio stations to carry it?



How exactly do the radio stations sell sponsorship to a program no one listens to? Please explain that.

A question occured to me: I understand that Sports Max, not sure that is the correct name, but this cable station provide internation cricket coverage to Jamaica.

If that is so, does anybody know if this is working out profitable for that company?

Do they think it is worthwile or not?

http://caribbeancricket.com/news/0000/00/00/650

cricket in the west indies will surely die if left in the hands of wicb.

why so?

because it MUST. wicb is an accident, a group of old boys who are self seeking and incompetent. they have NEVER done anything to develop west indies cricket that was a success. so it is inevitable as night follows day, that cricket will die.

cricket does not need handouts, but it needs massive amounts of investments, especially on account of the state of delapidation and decay in which it finds itself in the caribbean.

a large part of the investment must be in promotions and marketing, making cricket attractive and appealing to both potential cricketers and the viewing public.

unlike short-duration individual-oriented sports (like basketball and soccer where a lone kid can practice and train on his/her own with no facilities and infrastructure), cricket needs gear, wickets, teams, coaching, strong committment, etc), and must start at the school level.

cricket needs a structure and organization that is appropriate to the caribbean and to the time, the technology, the competition, that now prevails. cricket must have the ability to adjust rapidly to the rapidly changing environment (50/50, 20/20, beach).

cricket is now a complex and highly competitive WORLD sport. it will not survive on a happy-go-lucky basis, but with seriousness of purpose, dedication, shrewdness, and all those attributes that must go into the operation of a successful world-stage business.

in all countries where cricket is successful, the government plays an essential and crucial role. in the caribbean, it is absolutely essential.

at the commencement of satellite telecommunications, the investments required were staggering. 120 governments of the world formed a consortium to design, develop, build, launch and operate the first satellite telecommunications system.

now, 40 years later, the industry is so advanced that every tom, dick and harry, can set up their own satellite system. richard bramson will soon be offering trips into outer space.

the lesson is that once the investments begin to pay dividens, the time is ready for entrepreneurial influences to establish themselves.

but the outlook is bleak. for with the very obvious signs of an industry in deep distress and decline, allen stanford, an american, to wit, seems to be the only ray of light in the deepening gloom. governments seem to have no interest in what could become a massive foreign-exchange earning industry

and make no mistake , stanford is despised and reviled by the cricket establisment and cricketrs alike.

yawwwwwwwwwwwnnnnnnnnnnnnn

every year we discusing dis......and???

In reply to FrankSubaran

Well said Frank... and ditto

In reply to Zikdaman

You listen to cricket don't you? So do I, and so do many others. I know it is fashionable to blame the WICB and many times they deserve that blame, but this time the jury is out. I tend to side with POINT on this one, in my view if sponsors are willing to pay for the same old music programming that one can hear every day on most Caribbean radio stations then cricket can be sold. It's sunday, who's paying for and how many sets are tuned to all the church programming thats on right now on the Caribbean stations? Or, how many people listen to horse racing? I'm sure that the WI radio stations don't have a Neilsens ratings system established in the region so you are being purely anecdotal when u say "no one" listens to cricket in the region.

I believe the problem lies with the Radio station salespeople not doing enough to package and sell cricket broadcasts, and probably the high price they are charging for ad spots on such broadcasts. Let's do some real research to find out how much it costs to broadcast a game, then find out how much time the radio stations actually spend in lining up sponsorship for said broadcasts? Do the salesforce tell the ad buyers that their ads are being broadcaast on the internet and reaching an audience beyond the shores of their respective regions? Do they package cricket along with other content so that the cost could be spread out over a longer period of time?

Let's find out the answers to those questions.....

In reply to Zikdaman

...and if no one wants to listen why are people complaining?

CBC barbados was streaming cricket coverage until "somebody" wrote and told them that thir "license" does not include internet steaming. So, even when a station is willing the "rights" holders are driving the nails in the coffin.

We are now commercial cricketers higglers and not professional sports business people.

http://www.cbc.bb/content/view/197/89/