KINGSTON, Jamaica, CMC – Jamaica Cricket Association president Billy Heaven believes the agreement between Cricket West Indies and the Caribbean Premier League needs to be revisited to ensure enhanced investment returns for the region.
Heaven, also a CWI director, said the agreement struck 12 years ago before the inaugural CPL season was “disadvantageous to Jamaica” and other regional countries as it did not provide significant enough value.
The administrator was speaking here recently amid public outcry over the pullout of the Jamaica Tallawahs franchise, which left the country without a CPL presence since the tournament was founded.
In his first year, the agreement brings US$1.375 million (JA$211.8 million); at the end of 30 years, it is US$1.75 million.
“There’s no increase, even to keep pace with the inflationary effect.
“So, we have to look at that agreement to make it more workable for the region, including Jamaica.”
Even with the Tallawahs franchise present, Jamaica endured a strained relationship with the tournament in recent years and has yet to host a single match since 2019.
In re-selling the franchise to the league, owner Kris Persaud cited a lack of government support as one of the significant factors behind the decision.
However, Heaven said while he was “disappointed” Jamaicans would be unable to watch CPL cricket live, he questioned the role of CPL in actual cricket development across the region.
“CPL and all these franchises are exceptional, but they speak to an entertainment value, per se,” he continued.
“They do not address the development element in how you want to develop your cricket product. CPL does not do that, nor do they put back monies into developing cricket in the territories.”
The absence of CPL action in Jamaica has drawn criticism from global Twenty20 star Andre Russell and West Indies T20 captain Rovman Powell, with Jamaicans urging talks between the government and CWI.
In defending the government’s actions, Sports Minister Olivia Grange said it had been necessary to balance investment in the Tallawahs franchise with support for other sporting disciplines.
“We have sought to provide special support to the Tallawahs at the level that our funds may permit,” Grange was quoted as saying at the same event.
“The Tallawahs require more than we can provide, but I’m sure the Tallawahs and their existence were not dependent on the Government of Jamaica to bankroll them.
“But to give them more, we would have to cut funding to the more than 40 national sports federations such as football, netball, and track and field, which depend on the Government to run their programs, and have been requesting additional funds which we are challenged to provide.”
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