Cricket West Indies needs extra $20m to $25m a year to expand, says Dehring

ST JOHN'S, Antigua. Cricket West Indies (CWI) needs an additional US$20m to $25m a year to fund expanded tournaments and other programmes, chief executive Chris Dehring has said, adding that traditional Caribbean sponsorship cannot realistically cover the cost because of the region's small economies.

CWI recently introduced cost-cutting measures, including reducing player retainers and suspending the men's Super50 and women's T20 Blaze tournaments. Mr Dehring said the changes were aimed at improving the organisation's finances while it seeks new funding.

"The reality is that if we wanted to do everything that we really need to do, have expanded tournaments and so on, you're probably looking at trying to generate an additional $20 to $25 million per year," he said.

Looking beyond the region

Mr Dehring said CWI must seek revenue outside the Caribbean, including expanding into Canada and investing in cricket-related properties, because regional companies lack the marketing budgets for major sponsorship deals.

"Most companies in the Caribbean don't have that kind of growth," he said.

He said staging the two-week Super50 tournament costs about US$4m, raising doubts over whether Caribbean companies would invest such sums when cheaper marketing options, such as social media, are available.

CWI is exploring partnerships with teams and sponsors in Canada and plans to develop high-performance centres, academies and cricket simulators across the Caribbean to attract investment and promote sports tourism.

Mr Dehring said CWI aims to reduce spending while developing new income, as revenue from traditional tours, including India, has declined. He added that the board has not yet secured a television deal for the upcoming India tour.