Dave Cameron Wants Commercialization Of The Sport Like Football

Former West Indies Cricket President Dave Cameron has come up with a unique point of view for the growth of the sport. Dave Cameron feels that the cricketing brains should focus on commercializing the game by running private T20 leagues and less international cricket matches throughout the year. He even opines that Test cricket must not be a necessity for smaller cricketing nations.

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Dave Cameron, who has thrown his name for the ICC Chairman’s post, has a viewpoint that cricket must take the path of football. In case of football, tournaments like EPL, La Liga, Serie A run throughout the year while there are less international fixtures taking place. Cameron wants that competitions like IPL, BBL, and CPL must run concurrently like the ones in football.

Dave Cameron stated that the most profitable today are the T20 leagues and there must be concentration on its growth. He further claimed that the same must also be extended beyond the leading cricketing countries to encourage more players’ participation, which would lead to more money-making opportunities. Cameron believes that if required extension, India’s role would remain prominent.

“It is a vision which includes growing the game outside the sub-continent, we need to grow in China and other places. It is a plan that has to include India. Any globalisation will require investments from India. I see a longer IPL, I see longer leagues in Australia and England

The most profitable events we have now is T20 leagues and we need to grow that, take them to places like US and grow the opportunities have more players to participate in those leagues and have less international cricket, leading to more profitability. This thing of trying to do more ICC events is not going to help the smaller countries because there is not enough space in the calendar,” Cameron stated as quoted by India Today.

The 49-year old iterated the example of most Caribbean players, who play relatively less international games a year and instead partake in the T20 leagues around the globe. He added that in this way the players make money and the respective board will not have to spend funds retaining their athletes. The same will also ensure continuous development of the sport in the country.

“For example, a team like the West Indies plays less international games in a year but their players are able to play in the best leagues around the world and then they come to play for the country. That way players make more money, their board will not have to spend money on retaining its best players and we focus on continuous development of the sport with that money,” the 49-year-old asserted.

Like women’s cricket, they should play only ODIs and T20s: Dave Cameron

Dave Cameron went on to praise Test cricket for its pureness but was against extending it for teams like Afghanistan and Ireland until they get competitive. Similar to women’s cricket, they should limit themselves to white-ball cricket only.

“Yes Test cricket is great and it is a tradition and it will survive for another few years between the big countries (India, England, Australia) but the truth is smaller counties like Afghanistan and Ireland should not be forced to play Test cricket until they can be competitive. You are wasting resources. Like women’s cricket, they should play only ODIs and T20s,” he added.

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