Champions League tussle between BCCI and ECB

[msb1991]

Champions League scrapped say reports This is unconfirmed news but I am watching the Pro 40 on Sky Sports and 'reports from India' are saying that the Champions League is being scrapped due to overcramped schedule of the favour countries, the BCCI wanting 50% of profits rather than 25% of profits and the BCCI wanting IPL teams to have first pick of players. This is unconfirmed news which I am just hearing on Sky Sports.

[Holysmoke]

wtf.. come on!!

[The Outsider]

Good riddance.

[Cricketics]

scrap and it and keep a similar Super Test of 6 days like they kept in 2005. or may be keep a 3 test match series of 5 days betweeen the two Australia vs Rest of the world..

[Chandan]

I'll be the happiest person if it is scrapped indeed. I don't care about the reasons or board differences! I'm just getting bored of these run-feasts everywhere with bowlers almost getting slaughtered!

[cowboysfan]

meh.

[beetle]

:dancing2::dancing2:

[Holysmoke]

New Delhi: Indian Premier League Commissioner Lalit Modi on Thursday dismissed media reports about plans to shelve the Champions League and said dates for the inaugural Twenty20 event would be announced soon. "There is no plan to shelve the Champions League. We will decide on the dates of the Champions League after the Champions Trophy," Modi told PTI. Media reports claimed that the plans for the Champions Trophy, scheduled in October, had been shelved. According to reports, England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) insisted on having 50 percent ownership and some other boards also threw in the spanner, forcing IPL authorities to drop the plan. The ICC too was not sure if two BCCI-backed Twenty20 events, IPL and Champions League, could be accommodated in an already crammed calendar. Besides, there was also the fear of Twenty20 overshadowing other forms of the game, the reports claimed.

[msb1991]

Interesting how some reports have BCCI as greedy and others have ECB as greedy, but I guess we can close this thread now.

[Sachinism]

BCCI rejects ECB's rival league offer The BCCI has rejected an offer from the ECB to join England's version of the Champions League to be held in Sharjah this October, Cricinfo has learnt. It's understood that David Collier, the chief executive of the ECB, invited the Indian board to join the ECB's tournament. However, the BCCI replied on Monday saying that, though it "wished the ECB all the best" with its tournament, "unfortunately, we cannot accept" the invitation. The BCCI's reply, sent on its behalf by Lalit Modi, the IPL commissioner, suggests its position is final. It wants "to avoid playing ping-pong over email" on this issue, reliable sources told Cricinfo. Modi is also understood to have "clearly informed" the eight IPL franchises that they can participate only in tournaments run and approved by the BCCI. It would have been "very unusual" for the BCCI to accept the ECB's proposal to join another Champions League, the sources said, considering the Indian board had already announced the dates and venues of its own tournament. Significantly, the ECB's offer says the tournament will be held in Sharjah, which was blacklisted by the Indian government following the allegations of match-fixing. "No Indian team will be going there, at least not with the BCCI's permission", the sources said. As far as the BCCI is concerned, it will now focus on its Champions League along with Cricket Australia and Cricket South Africa, who are said to be on board. "Already, more teams are lined up for next year, including West Indies, which has confirmed its participation," the sources said. On Sunday, Collier was quoted by BBC as saying, "I would be bitterly disappointed if all four nations aren't represented by their two top teams. We will be discussing with our counterparts in Australia, South Africa and India to try to iron out the last few items within the rules and regulations." The BCCI-backed Champions League will be played this year in India from September 29 to October 8 at three venues - Jaipur, New Delhi and Mohali. The final details of tournament will be finalised in Mumbai on Wednesday at a meeting to be attended by officials from the BCCI, Cricket South Africa (CSA) and Cricket Australia (CA). Modi had told Cricinfo on Sunday that the ECB would not be represented at the meeting and the tournament was also unlikely to include England, which "has been unreasonable" in continuing to object to various rules and regulations. The BCCI's Champions League originally planned to include the top two Twenty20 domestic teams from India, Australia, South Africa and England. With the ECB's participation in doubt, Modi said a team from Pakistan was confirmed while the last slot may be filled by a team from New Zealand or even Sri Lanka. source: cricinfo

[arkay]

It is nice try by ECB. They dont want to participate in the IPL. But would like the India teams to participate in their league because that means more money in the ECB coffers. Who are they kidding? Another irony is - this tournament will be held in Sharjah. The majority of ppl who would be interested to watch cricket would be the expats. Who are the expats? Asia sub-continent.... Did n't ICC have reservations hosting matches in Sharjah because of match fixing?

[Feed]

ICC unhappy over Champions League scheduling The ICC has indicated its displeasure over the conduct of the Twenty20 Champions League right on the heels of the Champions Trophy in Pakistan in September. More... Champions League ICC unhappy over Champions League scheduling Cricinfo staff July 29, 2008 The ICC has indicated its displeasure over the conduct of the Twenty20 Champions League immediately after the Champions Trophy in Pakistan in September and has written about this in an email sent to its member boards. The ICC's stand comes a day before officials of the BCCI, Cricket Australia and Cricket South Africa (CSA) meet to finalise details of the Twenty20 tournament. The email, as reported on cricketnirvana.com, said the scheduling of an international event within seven days of an ICC tournament is contrary to ICC rules. It also said broadcasters ESPN-Star Sports had reportedly stated their concern over the close proximity of the two tournaments devaluing the importance of the Champions Trophy. The Champions Trophy will be held for September 11-28, while the Champions League is scheduled for September 29-October 8 in India. Ratnakar Shetty, the BCCI's chief administrative officer, said he was not aware of the email, but felt the ICC should not be concerned over the Champions League. "The Champions League is an inter-club event and not an international competition, Shetty told the website. "If India were playing close to Champions Trophy then it would be prudent for some objection." The Champions League has already generated controversy, with the ECB planning to go ahead with its own tournament, slated for October in Sharjah, after disagreements with the BCCI over various rules and regulations, including the ban on players from the unauthorised Indian Cricket League (ICL), the share-holding pattern and profit-sharing formula. On the other hand, the Champions Trophy faces the threat of player pullouts after the ICC decided to go ahead with the tournament in Pakistan despite security concerns.

[Feed]

Cricket: CD on standby for Champions League Central Districts are on the verge of a lucrative invitation to compete in the inaugural Twenty20 Champions League in India. A decision was expected tonight on whether the New Zealand Twenty20 champions would join the leading domestic... More... Cricket: CD on standby for Champions League 9:50AM Wednesday July 30, 2008 England's unlikely participation in the inaugural Twenty20 Champions League has opened the door for Central Districts. Photo / Hawke's Bay Today Central Districts are on the verge of a lucrative invitation to compete in the inaugural Twenty20 Champions League in India. A decision was expected tonight on whether the New Zealand Twenty20 champions would join the leading domestic sides from India, South Africa, Australia and Pakistan at the tournament starting on September 29. The possibility has arisen due to England's unlikely participation, leaving a place open to probably be filled by a team from New Zealand, West Indies or Sri Lanka. Whoever gets the nod can expect to earn more than $1 million from participation fees and prizemoney. A decision was likely at a meeting tonight of the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI).

[Feed]

Twenty/20 tournament hit for six India and England have been embroiled in an acrimonious tug-of-war over the inaugural Twenty20 Champions League. More... Twenty/20 tournament hit for six Sapa-AFP July 30 2008 at 07:31AM India and England have been embroiled in an acrimonious tug-of-war over the inaugural Twenty20 Champions League, with both wanting to host it with or without each other. The lucrative football-style league, featuring top Twenty20 domestic sides from around the world, is scheduled to be played between September 29 and October 8. India insist they will host the tournament while England, who are opposing the terms and conditions laid down by the Indians, want to stage their own version in the United Arab Emirates on the same dates. Utter chaos prevailed in cricket circles on Tuesday as both sides claimed that teams from Australia and South Africa will take part in their respective tournaments. India, buoyed by the success of the Indian Premier League earlier this year, said they will finalise details of their tournament at a meeting in Mumbai today with Australian and South African chiefs. The northern cities of New Delhi, Mohali and Jaipur have already been announced as the possible venues. The England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) said the Abu Dhabi royal family had agreed to bankroll their tournament to be held in the UAE capital and the adjoining emirate of Sharjah. "At the moment we are progressing with our plans and we have no plans to travel to Mumbai and attend Wednesday's (today's) meeting," an ECB spokesman said in London on Monday. Who plays where is undecided, although the original plans had the top two Twenty20 teams from Australia, England, South Africa and India taking part. Local media reports said India had turned down England's offer to send two teams for their event in the Gulf - and also do not expect English sides to feature in their own tournament. In a letter to the ECB, the Indian board wrote it "wished the ECB all the best" with its tournament but "unfortunately, we cannot accept" the invitation, reports said. Talks between the Indian board and the ECB failed to resolve the issues of tournament rights and the availability of players who took part in the unauthorised Indian Cricket League (ICL). India, the sport's financial powerhouse, wanted to retain a 50 percent stake in the tournament and would not allow teams that fielded ICL players from taking part.

[Feed]

League not in violation of any ICC agreement The BCCI, which is hosting a Champions League for domestic teams from at least four countries immediately after the Champions Trophy in September, will inform the ICC that the proposed Twenty20 tournament does not violate any previous agreement signed by the governing body's members. More... Champions League League not in violation of any ICC agreement Cricinfo staff July 30, 2008 The BCCI, which is hosting a Twenty20 Champions League for domestic teams from at least four countries immediately after the Champions Trophy in September, will inform the ICC that the proposed tournament does not violate any previous agreement signed by the governing body's members, Cricinfo has learnt. The ICC had on Tuesday reminded its member countries through an email that holding a tournament within seven days of an ICC event violated a playing agreement signed by its members. Officials from BCCI, Cricket Australia and Cricket South Africa are meeting in Mumbai on Wednesday to finalise the Champions League to be held in three Indian venues from September 29, one day after the Champions Trophy ends in Pakistan. "The BCCI will inform the ICC that the playing agreement clearly pertains only to bilateral series and international tournaments involving national sides," a senior BCCI official told Cricinfo. "The Champions League is a multi-club event for domestic teams and does not come under the jurisidiction of this agreement." Apparently, the BCCI "understands" that the ICC email was "part of a mandatory procedure" followed by the governing body, acting on a letter it had received from ESPN-Star Sports, its official broadcaster. The broadcaster had expressed concerns over whether the Twenty20 tournament would devalue the Champions Trophy one-day tournament. "The ICC has followed a process and we understand that. Our position is also clear and we will communicate that accordingly," the official said. The Champions League has already generated controversy, with the ECB planning to go ahead with its own tournament, slated for October in Sharjah, after disagreements with the BCCI over various rules and regulations, including the ban on players from the unauthorised Indian Cricket League (ICL), the share-holding pattern and profit-sharing formula. On the other hand, the Champions Trophy faces the threat of player pullouts after the ICC decided to go ahead with the tournament in Pakistan despite security concerns.

[Fontaine]

Who gives a damn about ICC rules on consecutive international tournament, the ECB, and the relative lack of interest in the Sri Lanka/India series due to the over packed cricketing calendar, when the BCCI have more money to squeeze out of cricket!! Who cares about the legal rights issues of players earning a living in any league, or how the BCCI forced New Zealand cricket to piss all over Shane Bond because he joined the ICL, or greater funding and financing of domestic cricket when the BCCI want to get richer? Burn in hell BCCI!