Cricket for country or company?

Cricket may be a national obsession in India but the number of controversies dogging it seem to be growing everyday. It began with match fixing charges against certain players, then came the Mike Denness controversy, and now it’s the ICC versus cricketers.
But unlike the Denness controversy, which centred around the outrageous decision of a match referee and some bloated egos, this time its players rights which is at stake.And pitted against them is none other than the International Cricket Council (ICC), the game’s governing body.
Ironically, although three of the main ICC sponsors — Hero Honda, LG and Pepsi — have major stakes in India, it is Sourav Ganguly and his boys who have been hit the most in this controversy.
While Australia and England have come out openly against the stipulations but their problems can be sorted out by their boards on a collective basis. The problem of Indian players is unique for cricketers here enjoy individual sponsorship.
It is also one of the biggest money market of the game, which gives BCCI supremo Jagmohan Dalmiya his strength. While players like Sachin Tendulkar rake in the moolah. Even former superstars like Kapil Dev can make crores by signing up as brand ambassadors.
Then why is it that the world’s richest cricketing body has landed itself in a soup? Should the ambush marketing protection strategy of ICC be seen as a move to put Indians in a spot?
‘No’, says Brendan McClements, ICC’s general manager, corporate affairs, "protection of the commercial sponsors rights was agreed upon in 2000 by all constituent boards."
So, by selling commercial rights of all its properties till 2007, ICC has now become richer by £550 million. It will distribute £110 million or only 20 per cent, to the boards and players for participating in the tournaments.
As for the BCCI’s current management, it will be easier for them to put the blame on their predecessors and rivals, who were party to the agreement. Interestingly, former BCCI president A C Muthiah now claims the clause was added later.
However, ICC officials say the arrangement was already in place during the 1999 World Cup in England. The Australian team had to forego their team sponsor’s logo because it was a competing brand of tournament sponsor Pepsi.
The problem would have been simpler, if the Indian board had to deal with the issue of team sponsors only. Then compensation could have been worked out.
No doubt, the Indian team is a worried lot. And Sachin Tendulkar with a five-year contract with WorldTel for Rs 100 crore is the most worried.
Meanwhile, the BCCI president has reportedly suggested that the players sign up at least for the Champions Trophy in Sri Lanka. The Board wants to buy time and re-negotiate with the ICC for the World Cup next year.
But the players, are not keen, they prefer to wait-and-watch.
Who will blink first remains to be seen.