JOHANNESBURG: Cricket South Africa (CSA) announced on Tuesday that it has hired the services leading market research firm Nielsen to advise the board on the six teams that should participate in its flagship T20 competition later this year, ESPNcricinfo reports.
CSA CEO Thabang Moroe confirmed that as compared to the now-scrapped Global T20 League (GLT20) which was scheduled to take place last year, the new T20 competition will have two fewer teams even as 12 provincial teams are interested to participate in it. They are required to present bids for the same and their ability to draw crowds, infrastructure and financial stability are some factors that Nielsen will research on.
The tournament will possibly be played in November or December 2018 with 32 matches to be scheduled.
“There will be certain criteria applied by Nielsen which will involve monies, the ability to pull crowds, infrastructure around you and governmental support. The process will be independent,” ESPNcricinfo quoted Moroe as having told reporters at a press conference in the city.
The CEO said that the tournament is still a work in progress with sponsorships yet to finalize.
“The league continues as far as planning is concerned. We have continued to meet with the broadcasters and with corporates for sponsorship opportunities,” he added.
“But we are not as far as we would like to be in terms of sponsorship.”
Moroe will be headed to Mumbai and Dubai next week for a series of meetings with some of the owners of the GLT20 teams, who have expressed their dissatisfaction at the manner in which the tournament was scrapped, resulting in a loss of ownership rights and finances. Out of the eight franchises, three have seriously been considering legal action against the South African board.
Reportedly, the owner of Pretoria Mavericks, Hiren Bhanu hails from Mumbai and had offered CSA $70 million over a period of 11 years to buy the league. It is possible that he might have a dialogue with Moroe over gaining an equity share in the upcoming competition.
