England batsman Jason Roy’s decision to get out of his ECB central contract shows just how enticing franchise cricket can be.
Some cricket boards try to go with the flow regarding their players participating in other countries’ franchise events.
However, the ECB hasn’t been afraid to put their foot down with players when they saw fit.
The ECB has cautioned against the potentially catastrophic effects of franchises like the IPL growing in influence as Test cricket’s popularity diminishes and national teams fail to draw audiences.
The body feels that cricket boards will have to pay inflated wages to prevent players from trying their luck on the franchise scene.
The governing body of English cricket has stated that the “emergence and growth of global franchise leagues” and “the status of Test cricket globally” pose significant dangers to its revenue model.
English fears have been intensified by reports that the Indian Premier League wants to offer players 12-month contracts and have an expanded tournament.
It has been revealed that several English cricketers had been contacted to determine whether they would, in theory, be open to such a deal which has given rise to this angst.
Please read. pic.twitter.com/FrKWhUn1aM
— Jason Roy (@JasonRoy20) May 25, 2023
IPL owners have expanded their field of interest, with some owning teams in the Caribbean Premier League and the newly formed SA20 league.
We could see a future where franchise heavyweights are able to keep the best players on retainer and international cricket might be forced into smaller windows.
The success of the ECB’s own women’s Hundred and the introduction of the Women’s Premier League, a T20 franchise league headquartered in India, indicate that the 18 centrally contracted women will also be impacted by pay inflation.
The ECB has drastically boosted its salary spending in recent years, more than doubling it from £25.8 million in 2018–19 to £57.4 million in 2022–23.
The necessity to enhance rewards to elite players will undoubtedly drive that number even higher now, and other smaller boards already can’t compete with the franchise game.
