England, Australia raise concerns over ICC's proposed finance model

The cricket boards of England and Australia have raised concerns over the International Cricket Council (ICC)'s proposed finance model. 

As reported by ESPNcricinfo previously, India’s new revenue share in the ICC's proposed finance model would stand at 38.5 percent, while England and Australia would bag 6.89 and 6.25 percent respectively. Pakistan is set to earn 5.75 percent of the ICC's projected earnings, which will come primarily through ICC’s $3 billion media rights deal for 2024-27. It will be voted on at ICC’s next board meeting later this month.

A huge share of BCCI has already raised eyebrows in the cricket fraternity. Multiple factions of the cricket community had serious questions about this 'Big One' formula. 

In 2014, BCCI alongside ECB and CA planned to form the 'Big Three' to rule the cricket world. However, the plan flopped as BCCI aimed at gaining maximum personal benefits. 

Gradually, BCCI made its roots stronger by extending the Indian Premier League (IPL) followed by its franchise owners buying teams in different leagues around the world. 

Now, BCCI is going forward to take complete hold of the cricket world. They have also planned to hire foreign players on annual contracts with Indian franchises having shares in almost every franchise league around the world. 

While reacting to the ICC's proposed finance model, ECB and CA have written a heartbreaking letter to BCCI, reported by ESPNcricinfo. 

'We thought we were friends'

Dearest BCCI,

We hope you are well. Your president looks dashing on his magazine covers.

We are writing after receiving the new proposal at the ICC, which suggests the BCCI will receive 38.5% of the ICC's net revenue over the next four years. As India is the nation that contributes the most to the media rights' value, it is, of course, only right that the BCCI gain the most from the ICC's profits.

However, we were dismayed to see that we receive a mere 6.89% and 6.25%, which is less than $40 million per year. This is almost as little as Pakistan and not much more than New Zealand.

Forgive us BCCI, but perhaps there is some mistake? Did we not come together as brothers in 2014 to carve out the greatest shares of the ICC's net revenue between the three of us? Did we not together invent the reasoning for this lionising? How could this have possibly turned upon us?

We will of course not go so low as to seriously suggest that the global game is best served by an egalitarian spirit at the ICC, or that it may ultimately be counterproductive for one side to dominate all others at global events. The plan was to dominate them together.

Concerned,

The England and Wales Cricket Board and Cricket Australia

- The letter is taken from the ESPNcricinfo website

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