Harrison Cuts to Everything but Promote the Hundred Post-COVID

EWCB facing significant financial cuts to cover £UK182m losses.
Nick Hoult.

London Daily Telegraph.

Thursday, 6 August 2020.

PTG 3215-15919.

The England and Wales Cricket Board (EWCB) is to embark on a huge cost cutting exercise to cover losses this summer of up to £UK182 million ($A332m).  The 18 counties and county boards were on Wednesday told at a meeting with the EWCB to expect a slew of money saving measures over the next few weeks to cover the deficit caused by playing all games behind closed doors this summer.  It is understood every area of the game will be affected by the cost cutting measures with around 25 percent of jobs to be lost at the EWCB alone with savings expected to be made at the academy in Loughborough and the Hundred. 

The current losses stand at £UK106m ($A193m) but could rise to the £UK182m if Australia do not tour England next month for six white ball matches and if ticket sales for the 2021 season are put on hold over continuing Covid-19 restrictions and precautions. The EWCB will work individually with the counties over the coming weeks to identify cost savings. The counties will be worried they will see their annual £UK1.5m ($A2.7m) share dividend from the EWCB while the county boards can also expect cuts as well. England’s central contracts will also be reviewed along with costs incurred on tours and Lions pathways programmes.

Tom Harrison, the EWCB chief executive, warned a government committee in May the game was facing its “most significant financial challenge” and warned losses could reach up to £UK380m ($A734m) (PTG 3113-15399, 6 May 2020).

The tours by West Indies and Pakistan have pulled English cricket back from the brink but losses are still substantial because of the postponement of the Hundred, the loss of matchday income, hospitality revenue and broadcast shortfalls in terms of selling overseas rights. Sponsorship has also been hit with the Test series this summer the first since 1968 not to have a title sponsor.

The board has also lost income from its participation programs and incurred huge costs to produce the biosecure arrangements for the West Indies, Ireland and Pakistan matches which have included hiring out hotels, chartering flights and paying for more than 3,000 Covid tests and PPE. There have also been emergency payments to the club game and the counties have been forwarded all money they were due up until January next year.  The EWCB’s income pre-Covid was around £UK243m ($A443m), all of which is invested back in the game.

The recreational game and counties were due to receive £UK118m ($A215m), £UK38m ($A69m) was to go on grassroots projects, £UK38m also on England men, women and disability teams, £UK39m ($A71m) to launch and grow the Hundred and the final £UK40m ($A73m) to run the EWCB.  All those budgets will now be squeezed as the board slims down its operation with much uncertainty over next year and whether the game will be able to bounce back with full houses in 2021, a summer when India are due to tour England. 

The EWCB remains committed to the Hundred despite the cost of setting up the competition. Harrison told UK Members of Parliament in May: "We will put even more effort into The Hundred post this crisis because I think cricket will desperately need, in a hugely competitive landscape, cricket will need to pull every lever to ensure cricket remains relevant in a society that has so much choice”.