KPL players still waiting for winnings share

BANGALORE: Is there further trouble brewing with the Karnataka Premier League (KPL), this time with some players alleging that they haven't been paid their share of the winnings, something that was promised prior to the start of the season, along with a host of incentives for a good showing?
It does look so as the franchise in focus has responded to the players' demand by saying that they are waiting for the Karnataka State Cricket Association (KSCA) to 'return' some of the money paid by the team owners as their fees for the second edition of the tournament.With the KSCA's response being that they don't owe any money, there is no escaping controversy.
According to the original schedule decided upon by the KSCA, the third edition of the KPL is to kick-off on September 1, with the final slated for September 15. The player auction, a fresh one as all contracts have expired (teams can retain up to three players each), is supposed to be held on July 27, barely two weeks away. But with the players still to be paid, can the KSCA really allow fresh contracts to be signed is the question.
In an earlier note to the KSCA, signed by six of the eight franchisees, team owners had made clear that they were promised around Rs 30-lakh each by the earlier dispensation at the helm of affairs. Citing that the KSCA did not take up promotional activities as promised and that the scheduling was unduly delayed, the franchisees stated that they had threatened to pull out of the tournament.
"At that juncture the KPL franchisees even refused to participate in the tournament if it was organized in such a hurry. Then the KCSA Committee assured that a substantial amount would be reimbursed to the franchisees to minimize the losses to them by cutting down the cost of the tournament," went the letter written recently to the new team at KSCA.
"It was agreed to reduce the events of the opening ceremony to cut down the cost. They gave us an indication of about Rs 30-lakh per franchise. When the franchisees requested for a cut in the franchise fee, the committee requested the franchise to pay the full amount, as they have to obtain the approval of the General Body in order to process the refunds. We believed the KSCA and agreed to participate in the tournament," continued the letter.
When TOI contacted KSCA secretary Javagal Srinath for his take, he said: "As far as we are concerned, the KSCA does not owe any money to any franchise. We have got the letter from the franchises but there is nothing in writing that we can refer to," said Srinath. "But as far as prize money goes, it has been disbursed in full," he added.
Is it right then on the part of the franchise to tell its players to wait for money that is unlikely to come, is what the concerned players are asking. Fair question that and one that will have to be answered before the next set of contracts are drawn up.