This weekend, in Colombo, the International Cricket Council (ICC) will convene to discuss the unforeseen financial issues pertaining to the US leg of the 2024 T20 World Cup. What was supposed to be an innovative entry into the American market is now under investigation and worry.
In just 106 days, an entirely modular stadium was constructed in New York as part of an ambitious project. Although many were thrilled by this technical achievement, its financial ramifications have also drawn criticism. The USA leg’s initial budget was approved by the ICC to be between USD 40 and USD 50 million, with USD 15 million set aside for operating costs and roughly USD 30 million for building the temporary stadium.
On the day of the competition, T20 World Cup USA Inc., the organisation established to oversee the American leg, asked for an extra USD 20 million, which raised red flags. Board directors are furious and alarmed about this last-minute financial infusion request, and they are now demanding explanations for the cost overruns and lack of notice.
Claims that the USD 20 million was a loan to assist cash flow rather than an additional budget further complicate the situation. Many prominent ICC directors, including CWI President Dr. Kishore Shallow and ICC Deputy Chairman Imran Khwaja, have voiced grave concerns about this misapprehension and called for a comprehensive investigation.
ICC will handle concerns about the tournament’s reputation.
The board is likely to handle other issues that damaged the tournament’s reputation in addition to the financial ones. These include the pitch condition at some stadiums, which is questionable, and the noticeably empty stands throughout the event’s Caribbean leg. Concerns concerning supervision and quality assurance have also been raised by the departure of Andy Atkinson, the ICC’s longtime pitch expert.
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The assessment is probably going to look closely at the marketing efforts, especially in the Caribbean, where attendance was disappointingly low even with the biggest marketing budget of any T20 World Cup. One possible explanation for the low attendance is because day matches are scheduled to appeal to the Indian television market.
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