BCB Faces Huge Loss from Kiwi Series

[Eshen]

http://www.newagebd.com/2008/sep/26/spt.html

After losing several key players to the rebel Indian Cricket League, the Bangladesh Cricket Board is set for another debacle, this time on the commercial front, in the home series against New Zealand.

With less than a week for the visitors to come, the BCB has yet to know about the satellite broadcaster and title sponsor, two major sources of income from the three one-day international and two-Test series.

Sources said the Board had initially agreed to pay Nimbus $8.97 lakh (Tk 6.25 crore) as the production cost of the series, although the BCB’s financial committee chief MA Momen claimed on Thursday that they have now managed to reduce the amount to $7.5 lakh (Tk 5.25 crore).

Momen, however, admitted they were yet to be assured of getting almost nothing against the huge expense.

As the series is out of the Future Tour Programme of the ICC, Nimbus, which holds the marketing rights of the BCB up to March 2012, has no contractual obligation to broadcast it, he said.

‘Since it is not included in the BCB-Nimbus contract, no money is guaranteed for it,’ said the BCB official adding that Nimbus will share the revenue earned from the series with them only if the company can sell it to any satellite channel.

The company, which also holds the television rights of India, is unable to broadcast the series on its own channel Neo Sports as it coincided with the Test series between India and Australia.

Sources said Nimbus had approached two Bangladeshi channels for broadcasting the series, but the highest offer they received from them for the entire series is $21,000.

Shakil Kashem, a vice-chairman of the BCB’s commercial committee, admitted the reality and said at the moment they have very little to do apart from hoping for the best.

‘No doubt, we are going to suffer loss from the series. Since Nimbus is handling the broadcasting side, we just can hope for their success at the moment,’ he said.

However, a cricket organiser asking not to be named, alleged that the BCB officials only dug their own grave by involving Nimbus in the series, which he said could easily be avoided.

‘They knew the schedule of India-Australia series and also knew that Nimbus would be busy there. Still they involved Nimbus, which could be avoided,’ he said. ‘The BCB could have asked the Bangladesh Television for producing the series like they did during the home series against Ireland.’

The organiser added: ‘The BCB could even sell the series to other satellite channel through a separate tender. In that case the loss would have come down significantly.’

Asked why they opted for Nimbus instead of BTV, the BCB official Ahmed Sazzadul Alam said it was necessary to ensure the international status of the matches of the series.

‘During the Ireland series, BTV could not provide us the third umpire facility, which is mandatory for the matches between two full members of the ICC. So we opted for Nimbus,’ he said.

Sources said, the BCB has also failed to ensure the terrestrial broadcasting of the series yet as no company responded to their re-tender in this regard. Ispahani Media Limited had won the terrestrial rights at a cost of Tk 12 lakh, but the BCB had to cancel the decision as the company was not listed by BTV, the lone terrestrial channel of Bangladesh.

Meanwhile, Adtouch Limited, the company that won the sponsorship rights of the series agreeing to pay Tk 1.12 crore, also missed several deadlines to name the title sponsor and complete its payment. The BCB gave them a further deadline of September 30, which happens to be a government holiday on account of Eid-ul-Fitr. Since the next working day is only October 5, it is unlikely for them to inform about the name.

Cricket organisers said if Adtouch misses the new deadline also, the series may go without any title sponsor, which means another huge loss for the BCB. Adtouch has already paid Tk 56 lakh, but if they pull out finally, the BCB can keep only a portion of it as penalty.

New Zealand will arrive in Dhaka on September 30 and the first one-day match of the series will be held on October 9.

[Eshen]

This is probably most incompetent bunch we ever had in BCB. We need to get rid of those morons as soon as possible.

[One World]

Sorry stories. Does arranging third-umpiring facilities, hawk-eyes, cameras in two stadiums cost more than .75 million USD?

[Trigger_Tiger]

So they decide to go with a tournament first before thinking out these stuff? Hmm.....what are these guys made of?

[CholCholBD]

Now who do the BCB blame?


hey lets all jump on the bandwagon and blame those ICL guys again....goshhh distracting our brilliant business minds from taking care of the most elementary transactions.

[Ahsan]

Originally Posted by Trigger_Ti
what are these guys made of?

Flesh from gonder and blood from goru.

[CholCholBD]

SOLUTION: call president Bush for a bailout.

[enaner]

Jokeeeeeeeeeeeeee@@@@@@@@@@@@!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Nafis_BD]

If the whole team's filled with jokers then why blame the management for clowning around....

[cricket_king]

All of this can be avoided in the near future by WINNING SOME GOD DAMNED MATCHES.

[dash]

this board is more incompetent than the last one-
i think its the worst ever since our test status

[Eshen]

Originally Posted by cricket_king
All of this can be avoided in the near future by WINNING SOME GOD DAMNED MATCHES.

This has nothing to do with team performance. This series was arranged months ago, yet BCB waited until weeks before the start of the series to make financial arrangements for it - this is just pure organizational incompetence.

[kalpurush]

Originally Posted by Eshen
This has nothing to do with team performance. This series was arranged months ago, yet BCB waited until weeks before the start of the series to make financial arrangements for it - this is just pure organizational incompetence.

Nothing new though.

[Rabz]

Originally Posted by Eshen
This has nothing to do with team performance. This series was arranged months ago, yet BCB waited until weeks before the start of the series to make financial arrangements for it - this is just pure organizational incompetence.

Ah c'mon man, dont blame the BCB officials.
First they were busy fighting who'd go to Australia with the team, and probably take a little de-tour down further south to sydney and melbourne while the team is playing in Darwin.
After all, they didnt go to Australia to just be in deadhole like Darwin.

Then this all ICL debacle. It does break your concentration you know.

Then Eid er kena kata. After all, they are human too with real families you know.
Must have to take missus and kids to shopping, attend countless iftar parties.
Where was the time?

Seriously its not their fault that they could not manage anytime throughout this busy schedule.

Those bl**dy kiwis. why did they hv to come a week earlier?

[Baundule]

This is really a sad, very sad news. Money talks at the end of the day. So, this will certainly have some negative effects on the development of cricket in Bangladesh.

Ineptness of the board has been the 'root' of all the failures of Bangladesh Cricket. Choosing the right manager, right coach, right selectors, in effect right players are the duty of the board in the first place. I am not sure about the income of the BCB or how much money we get from the ICC or other sources in order to build our domestic cricket structure; but it has not been improved significantly and after long 8 years of test experience, we have to select 17 years old rookies in the national team. We are not developing good players. Players with natural talents are getting wasted in the system.

When there is a crack, today or tomorrow it will show up. And now it is just the start...

[BANFAN]

BCB Reminds me of 'Nonstop Nonsense'

[checkmate]

BCB faltu Bussinessman.loss er por loss de.hope these ICL cricketers can learn somethings from the Indians how to run a bussiness and make profit.Shala BCCI is having all this power coz they know how to run the show,make money.

[WarWolf]

I don't agree Rabz bhai. BCB is to be blamed for sure.

If you cannot hold the standard of your team upright, you don't have any commercial value. No BCB committee got more than E+ in working for the cricket in our country. But I will give a big F to the current BCB. If you are such a looser why do you still have to be there?

[Tigers_eye]

Desh'a ki kono marketing major graduate nai? wow!! Even a deshi degree will do. Dhaka University'r marketing department thekey shobai ki fail korey? naki shobai graduation'er por mastani and politics'a dhukay cause there lies the money?

Okay even a business degree would do. Don't tell me the BCB has no one who holds a business degree or never took a marketing course.

[BANFAN]

Originally Posted by Tigers_eye
Desh'a ki kono marketing major graduate nai? wow!! Even a deshi degree will do. Dhaka University'r marketing department thekey shobai ki fail korey? naki shobai graduation'er por mastani and politics'a dhukay cause there lies the money?

Okay even a business degree would do. Don't tell me the BCB has no one who holds a business degree or never took a marketing course.

Karmafall Niyot er upor nirvorshil.

If the intention is to make his own fortune only, how can they do something for BCB?

[Fazal]

They should have scrap the New Zealand series and rather let Ash, Mashrafee, Razzak, Tamim and Sakib play in ICL with the condition that half the money comes to BCB. That would have solved some of the money issue for BCB. No?

More over as part of negociation with ICL they could force ICL to rename the team as 'Bagh Mama Club' with Bagh Mama as the honorary cheif selector.

[Rabz]

Originally Posted by WarWolf
I don't agree Rabz bhai. BCB is to be blamed for sure.

Ummm.....read 'sarcasm', Dear Warwolf.
Read mine and then read Fazal's post.

[Dhakablues]

One must ask the serious question: Who is better Lobhi or Chameli?

[WarWolf]

Originally Posted by Rabz
Ummm.....read 'sarcasm', Dear Warwolf.
Read mine and then read Fazal's post.

Sorry. It was a half hearted shot actually.

[Rabz]

Originally Posted by WarWolf
Sorry. It was a half hearted shot actually.

Let me know when the full hearted shot comes in.
I'll duck for cover.