BCCI takes one step forward and one backward

[Chandan]

Re: BCCI takes one step forward and one backward Obviously the central contract has been scrapped but while the rest of the world is moving ahead we prefer to go backwards! Australia has contracted 25 players for this year and are preparing well in advance to not let the team feel the absence of Warne and McGrath along with two veteran batsmen Langer and Martyn. But what does India do? They announce that one ODI will be paid for only 1 lakh! And you think you'll get the best of the performances??? BCCI is living in foolsland!!

[King Tendulkar]

Re: BCCI takes one step forward and one backward

But what does India do? They announce that one ODI will be paid for only 1 lakh! And you think you'll get the best of the performances??? BCCI is living in foolsland!!

d mor if I think it s good they only get 1 lakh. They will get a lot more in bonuses if the TEAM wins and more if TEAM wins series and even more if TEAM wins overseas series!

[Chandan]

Re: BCCI takes one step forward and one backward Now read this: Indian contracts muddle likely to continue Anand Vasu May 2, 2007 Although the Board of Control for Cricket in India has made some noises to the effect that it would like to see India's players sign their central contracts before the tour of Bangladesh, it is difficult to see this happening, given the extensive work that will go into the lead-up to the actual signing of the contracts. The very first step is the players themselves reaching a consensus over what they feel about the proposed contracts, and this is likely to happen as they meet in the preparatory camp in Kolkata. However, the board and the players are both in conciliatory mood, and it is unlikely that this will develop into a flashpoint, and the way forward will instead be negotiation and dialogue. Niranjan Shah, honorary secretary of the BCCI, has said that he hoped that the player contracts will be signed before the team departed for Bangladesh. However, it is difficult to see this happening, given a variety of factors. Firstly, the players received the drafts of the fresh contracts, which are dramatically different from the earlier contracts they signed, only a couple of days ago, and have not yet had a chance to thrash out, among themselves, the implications of the new contract. The players will first meet among themselves to discuss some of the broad concerns they have. Once they have had a chance to do that they will seek a meeting with the BCCI to put forth their reservations. After this is done, the negotiating between the players and the board will begin, as neither side can afford an ugly stand-off. Even after this is done, and both sides agree on the broad terms of the contract, a fresh draft will have to be prepared. Once this is done the players will have to take the contract back to their respective agents and lawyers who will go through the fine print. After this is done, the actual signing can take place. A reasonable person would conclude that it is not possible for all this to happen in the five days there is before now and when the team departs for Bangladesh. It is learnt that the players have serious problems with at least two of the proposals of the board. Firstly, the BCCI's plan to pay the players a flat fee of Rs. 1 lakh (approx US$ 2427) for each match will be a serious bone of contention. With domestic cricketers getting paid Rs. 65,000 per game (approx US$1578), it is felt that the gap between this and what the board proposes to pay the national team per game, is too low. Given that international cricket involving India, especially one-day cricket, attracts such huge audiences both home and away, both at grounds and on television, and subsequently revenues, and that domestic cricket is watched by next to no-one, this is a concern that the players are sure to raise. Secondly, as per the old contracts, 26% of the gross revenues of the board were to go directly in paying the wages of cricketers, both international and domestic. The board had arbitrarily fixed this number, with Cricket Australia then sharing 25.5% of its revenue with its players and the BCCI wanting to top that. But, recently, the BCCI contended that the media rights, which form the vast majority of the board's revenue, would not be considered in totality when calculating this 26 %. They said instead, that 70% of the media rights money would go into the board's coffers, to be spent towards infrastructural development and other activities, and that only 30 percent would be taken into consideration when calculating the gross revenue for purposes of paying players' wages. In the new system that is being proposed by the board this has been further diluted with the BCCI saying that the players' pay would in no way be linked to the top-line of the board. The BCCI contended that they were willing to pay even more than 26%, should the players win more matches. However, in most cricket playing countries around the world, specifically those that are profitable, the players are paid in conjunction with the earnings of their respective boards. For example, Cricket Australia now shares 30% of its revenues with its players. When India's players, after much negotiations with the board, had this system put in place, the rationale behind it was two-fold. The first was that the natural action of market forces should come into play, and since the national players were directly involved in generating these huge monies for the board their pay should be tied directly to the quantum of income that came in. The second contention was that the percentage system benefited both the national and domestic cricketers, and this meant that a rise in the board's earnings would automatically result in proportionately-increased pay for the players and that they would not have to sit down and renegotiate each time contracts came up for renewal. In the new system, these issues are not addressed, and the players will be bringing this to the notice of the board. When that actually happens, if at all it does before the team departs for Bangladesh, is a matter of conjecture, and given how protracted these negotiations have been in the past, it could be some time yet before the players sign their central contracts. ------------------------------------------------ If BCCI is hoping for excellence under such circumstances then it is not only fooling itself but the entire fan base too!!!

[yoda]

Re: BCCI takes one step forward and one backward I feel so sorry for these under performing multi-crorepathis.

[The Outsider]

Re: BCCI takes one step forward and one backward The priorities are all facking haywire. Why are their going to be discussions on the contracts during the preparation camp? The players should have been asked to come two days before the camp to have discussions or such things should have been left for after the tour. It seems the focus is on everything except cricket and on field performance.

[Chandan]

Re: BCCI takes one step forward and one backward

The priorities are all facking haywire. Why are their going to be discussions on the contracts during the preparation camp? The players should have been asked to come two days before the camp to have discussions or such things should have been left for after the tour. It seems the focus is on everything except cricket and on field performance.

Whose focus?? BCCI's or the players?

[The Outsider]

Re: BCCI takes one step forward and one backward

The priorities are all facking haywire. Why are their going to be discussions on the contracts during the preparation camp? The players should have been asked to come two days before the camp to have discussions or such things should have been left for after the tour. It seems the focus is on everything except cricket and on field performance.

Whose focus?? BCCI's or the players?

Both.

[Chandan]

Re: BCCI takes one step forward and one backward What have the players done here? They are being forced to negotiate the contract when they should have been left alone for preparing for next tour!! Obviously the board is at fault. And not without a reason!

[The Outsider]

Re: BCCI takes one step forward and one backward Forced to? They should just tell the BCCI to do it after the series. Or while they have been sitting at home learning how to play cricket from Australia on TV, why couldn't they get together and get this contract thing sorted out in that month's time they had.

[Chandan]

Re: BCCI takes one step forward and one backward

Forced to? They should just tell the BCCI to do it after the series

And you think board will agree to whatever the players say?? Board wants them to sign the contract NOW and there is a huge reason behind it!

Or while they have been sitting at home learning how to play cricket from Australia on TV, why couldn't they get together and get this contract thing sorted out in that month's time they had.

And perhaps you're not aware that players in India don't live in one city but to the lenght and breath of the entire country. And BCCI has not allowed the ICPA (Players association) to even develop in India. Once in 2002, when players were pushing for central contracts,ICPA was formed but board refused to accept its existence! Looks like you are completely unaware of the cricket outside field!!

[The Outsider]

Re: BCCI takes one step forward and one backward

And perhaps you're not aware that players in India don't live in one city but to the lenght and breath of the entire country. And BCCI has not allowed the ICPA (Players association) to even develop in India.

Exactly. Why take some extra efforts to resolve this issue before the camp and tour. "Arre camp mein to mil hi rahe hain, wahin dekh lenge". BCCI is $hit. Agreed. Hasn't allowed ICPA to develop. Agreed. Why do the players need ICPA to get together informally and get this thing taken care of before the camp instead of eating gulab jamuns at home. Your idea that the BCCI is the root of all evil while our players are suffering saints is pretty far away from reality.

[Chandan]

Re: BCCI takes one step forward and one backward

Why do the players need ICPA to get together informally and get this thing taken care of before the camp instead of eating gulab jamuns at home

So how are they supposed to meet? One lives in Bombay, another in Chennai, Hyderabad, Kolkatta, Baroda, Delhi, Chandigarh, Ranchi, Kochi, Bangalore? How can all of them meet at home??? :huh:

[The Outsider]

Re: BCCI takes one step forward and one backward

Why do the players need ICPA to get together informally and get this thing taken care of before the camp instead of eating gulab jamuns at home

So how are they supposed to meet? One lives in Bombay, another in Chennai, Hyderabad, Kolkatta, Baroda, Delhi, Chandigarh, Ranchi, Kochi, Bangalore? How can all of them meet at home??? :huh:

Couldn't they have all come to Calcutta where the camp is being held a few days earlier? :shrug:

[Chandan]

Re: BCCI takes one step forward and one backward To where?? Ganguly's place? Without Ganguly's invitation?

[The Outsider]

Re: BCCI takes one step forward and one backward

To where?? Ganguly's place? Without Ganguly's invitation?

Dont tell me our players are so poor that they cannot stay in a hotel for a few days even if the BCCI had refused to foot the bill for the extra couple of days.

[Chandan]

Re: BCCI takes one step forward and one backward So you're telling me that if you have to on a project from your office, your whole group will gather in one part of the country, coming from everywhere, at your own expense, staying at your own expense just to discuss what you'd do on the project for your office??? I'm not a working lady. But even then , I'm not as naive as you!!

[The Outsider]

Re: BCCI takes one step forward and one backward

So you're telling me that if you have to on a project from your office, your whole group will gather in one part of the country, coming from everywhere, at your own expense, staying at your own expense just to discuss what you'd do on the project for your office??? I'm not a working lady. But even then , I'm not as naive as you!!

If I stand to gain a lot more from that project than I spend on the hotel bills in terms of performance for the upcoming month, and a pay raise ie. a good return on investment I dont see why I wont do it. BTW, there are also such things as conference calls and video conferencing.

[Chandan]

Re: BCCI takes one step forward and one backward The players are there to play and to make themselves concentrated on that aspect, almost every player has a CA who handles his financial status. And what do players have to gain here by meeting all by themselves? Nothing. They just have to lock horn with the board again. Even after that they won't take decision before consulting with their CA. That is why EVERY country has a players' association apart from India and Pakistan. Because both these boards want the players to sweat it out, if failed, face the flak and if they succeed then board would gobble up the whole money themselves. If we don't understand what ails our cricket and keep on blaming the players who come and go, we'll never desrve a successful team!!

[The Outsider]

Re: BCCI takes one step forward and one backward

And what do players have to gain here by meeting all by themselves? Nothing.

From the article:

The players will first meet among themselves to discuss some of the broad concerns they have.

The first thing to do before going into a meeting is to do your homework as early as possible and our players intend to their homework in the middle of the negotiations and while they are supposed to be preparing for the upcoming tour. Really professional I must say.

[Chandan]

Re: BCCI takes one step forward and one backward It is players' agents who'll do the homework, not the players themselves!! They just have to think about the advice given by their agents. And this is where ICPA would have solved all the problems. But what will the players or their agents discuss when BCCI has not even shown them the contract paper?