WICB could face US$65 million lawsuit after saving US$683,581

Oct 20, 2014 Sports

Wired868 – The West Indies Cricket Board (WICB) could face a US$65 (TT$412) million lawsuit, according to the ESPN CricInfo, for abandoning its tour of India due to internal wrangling with its players.

West Indies Players Association (WIPA) president Wavell Hinds (right) and West Indies Cricket Board (WICB) president Dave Cameron shake hands on the players’ CBA/MOU in September. (Courtesy WIPA)

This figure was calculated using India’s home series against the West Indies in the 2013/14 season as a guide and then multiplying the average revenue per day then by the 17 match days lost through the WICB’s pull out.
The BCCI (Board of Control for Cricket in India), which is cricket’s wealthiest body, generates revenue through broadcast sponsorship, series-title sponsorship, team-title sponsorship and apparel sponsorship as well as from a share of advertising from the host broadcaster, gate receipts and in-stadia advertising.
BCCI general secretary Sanjay Patel said the board will receive legal advice by October 21 at which time its working committee will decide if to proceed with a lawsuit against the WICB.
“We have referred the matter to our legal cell and asked them to let us know by 21st about how we can pursue the issue legally,” said BCCI secretary Sanjay Patel, who told ESPNCricInfo that the numbers were still being computed. “They [WICB] entered into a bilateral agreement with us, and they abandoned the tour due to their internal issues, so we will have to seek compensation. But, depending on the legal advice, the working committee will decide the future course of action.”
According to figures from the West Indies Players Association (WIPA), it would have cost the WICB just US$683,581 (TT$4.3 million) to save the series.
This was the maximum that the WICB could have paid, in addition to its current match fee structure, if president Dave Cameron agreed to ODI captain’s Dwayne Bravo’s proposal to revert to the old Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA)/Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) until after the series.
Bravo argued that, since the new deal between the WICB and WIPA was done without input from the players, it would be fair if all parties agreed to use the old agreement and postpone renegotiation until after the series.
“We propose the continuation under the old structure until a new agreement is reached between the players and WICB,” wrote Bravo, in a letter to the WICB president. “Neither the WICB nor the players would be disadvantaged by such a mutually agreed arrangement. We believe this to be a sensible and reasonable option in the interim, while we negotiate new terms and conditions that have been properly ventilated.”
But Cameron refused to budge.

West Indies cricketers Dwayne Bravo (centre), brother Darren Bravo (left) and Carlton Baugh during a previous tour. (Copyright AFP 2014/Lakruwan Wanniarachchi)

“We must make it clear to you that we recognise and respect the principles set out in the MOU/CBA signed by ourselves and WIPA on September 19, 2014,” wrote Cameron, “and any involvement on our part could only be in accordance with that agreement.
“The document is explicit in that the West Indies Players’ Association is the sole and exclusive collective bargaining representative recognised by the WICB for all Cricketers i.e. all persons contracted by the WICB to play for a West Indies Team.
“What this effectively means is that we will only engage in discussions relating to the welfare, working conditions and remuneration of Cricketers with WIPA.”
The West Indies players viewed their new contracts as a “grave injustice” and Cameron’s position meant any lingering goodwill between the two sides had vanished.
The players vowed they would not play, the board refused to yield and the series was abandoned.
The WICB and WIPA admitted the senior West Indies players had not seen the CBA/MOU let alone agreed to it.
And, although the West Indies players threatened to strike on October 7, Cameron said yesterday that neither the WICB nor WIPA met the players in the 14 days before the series finally collapsed. All three parties communicated through emails; most of which were published on Wired868.
The WICB said it was due to meet the players today in a meeting that would also be attended by WIPA president Wavell Hinds. Salary negotiations were not on the agenda.
The West Indies players were not interested.
Wired868 understands that the West Indies cricketers have not been paid for the four ODIs played in the series—one was cancelled due to bad weather—while several players used their own money to book flights out of India due to confusion over travel arrangements with the board.
The WICB blamed Bravo and the players for the aborted series and pointed out that its offer to bring replacement players to India was rejected by the BCCI.