"Departments provide our cricketers with a respectful source of earning" : Javed Miandad

[Abdullah719]

LAHORE: Batting legend Javed Miandad has urged the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) not to abolish the role of departments in the country’s domestic cricket, noting the existing system creates employment for talented cricketers.

“We played our [domestic] cricket for different departments, and now it is time for the current lot of talented players to benefit from playing for a departmental team. Departments provide our cricketers with a respectful source of earning with which they can [financially] support their family. Furthermore, this results in the player becoming a useful citizen,” Miandad said while talking to Dawn on Monday.

“While regional cricket associations have become corruption hubs, the departments have been managing their teams under a comprehensive system in which talented players from across the country regularly play,” Miandad, a veteran of 124 Tests, added.

It may be mentioned here that the PCB is on the verge of introducing a new domestic cricket structure in which some departments — instead of fielding their own teams in first-class cricket — would sponsor a region, a move that can leave hundreds of cricketers representing departments unemployed.

“If our cricketers are unemployed, the regional associations, as compared to the departments, do not have [enough] competent individuals to run their affairs on merit and to provide a decent standard of life to the players,” Miandad, 61, underlined.

He feared people would soon see the bad effects of the domestic restructuring plan under which the role of departmental cricket was being substantially reduced by the PCB.

“The regional associations in Pakistan are not being run by strong people, as has been the case since long. Therefore, I am worried that in case of only-regional cricket structure, influential people [of society] will have their say in getting their blue-eyed players selected in teams,” Miandad stated.

“One region cannot absorb sufficient number of talented cricketers in one team. For this reason, departmental cricket should be kept functional to entertain maximum number of capable cricketers who can showcase their skills in national-level competitions and claim places in the national team,” Miandad emphasised.

https://www.dawn.com/news/1464637/miandad-wants-pcb-to-retain-departmental-cricket

 

[FastBowlingAllrounder]

Whatever happens, we need reduce the number of teams in the FC structure and all of the ruled out teams should be departmental teams. Either that, or departmental cricket should become a Grade II 4-day tournament. In this case, one region will be able to provide a simple stepping-stone system for its players (perform well in district/club/local cricket, get selected by a departmental team, if you perform well, you move onto your regional team in QeA trophy) ensuring that only the truly talented/performing get to FC level. Furthermore, all of the players playing departmental will still get there $$$.

 

[Savak]

It's time to move on and adopt a more professional structure

 

[CleverSir]

Old legend stuck in his ways. It’s time to move on with the times. Leave the people stuck in the past, in the past.

 

[MMHS]

I am not sure how a viable financial model can be developed without Corporate teams. Reading that Corporates have reduced their focus (& budget) for domestic cricket, but still there is something, not sure if there is anything from regional offices.

Regional teams manage their budget (expenses) from 6 different sources -

1. Revenue sharing from National board (like PCB sharing % of their annual revenue with regional teams/boards)

2. Sponsorship (which is not much in South Asian context.... Liverpool's ~35% revenue comes from sponsorship, more or less similar for most pro leagues)

3. Gate money (which is big in Europe o North America - average price for an NFL regular season game is around $120, and Dallas Cowboys are sold out for 91K+ capacity for their 8 home games - that's over $10mn/game and almost $100mn for a season; MU's gate is even larger and Arsenal has probably the largest gate in soccer world at $125mn+ for their 61K stadium at north London)

4. Donations - sort of sponsorship, but often without a brand association

5. Government - in kind, more than cash. This is basically the investment by Local Govt., city corporation, sports ministry in infrastructure, sharing/reducing operational cost (like Biman Bangladesh sponsors the air ticket for domestic teams where possible at premium discount)

6. Small amount, but there is some prize money as well.

Unless, these issues are sorted, don't think regions can survive on their own.