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Leagues and Governing Bodies

ICC Launches Investigation As Essel Group Begins Registering Possible Rival Boards

The Int'l Cricket Council has launched an "urgent investigation after Essel Group, the company behind the now-defunct Indian Cricket League, began registering companies with names that appear to be rival national cricket boards, raising fears of a future split in world cricket," according to THE SUNDAY LEADER. The "mysterious registration" of companies in Australia and other Test countries by Essel Group has left cricket authorities "wary about what they believe could be plans for a new rebel league or even an extraordinary takeover bid for global cricket." In Australia, Essel has registered the company Australian Cricket Control Pty Ltd. with the Australian Securities & Investments Commission. In New Zealand it has attempted to register the name New Zealand Cricket Ltd. and in "other full and associate member countries they are understood to have similarly established company names." A Cricket Australia spokesperson said on Friday, "We're certainly aware of the registration. It is a concern but the ICC has been informed and the matter is being investigated. It's difficult to say more until we have more information" (THE SUNDAY LEADER, 4/26). In London, Ali Martin reported CA was the first body "to be alerted to the issue last December and has subsequently objected to the registration" of Australia Cricket Control Ltd. by the subsidiary Essel Corp. Mauritius. Cricket Scotland, an ICC associate member, has "found itself similarly involved, with the board aware of a company being set up in Edinburgh" under the name of Cricket Control Scotland Ltd. Now the England & Wales Cricket Board, led by its outgoing chairman, Giles Clarke, has requested these boards "establish the motives behind the moves from their broadcast partner." An ECB spokesperson said, "We don't know the motives behind these registrations and need to know more. In the absence of any proper explanation, there is clearly a concern for cricket and the ECB" (GUARDIAN, 4/24). In Sydney, Chris Barrett reported sources said that Essel, which is led by billionaire media baron Subhash Chandra, has "contemplated attempting to make a re-entry to the cricket scene six years after the demise of the unofficial ICL, the rebel precursor to the Indian Premier League." Whether that would constitute the creation of a "new, ramped-up version of the ICL or a challenge to the establishment itself has been unclear, but the formation of companies has been enough to have cricket authorities on their toes." Essel owns Zee Entertainment Enterprises, whose subsidiary, Ten Sports, has int'l cricket broadcast rights in South Africa, West Indies, Zimbabwe, Pakistan and Sri Lanka, "but does not have a foothold in the Indian market, where Star Sports has the rights for international cricket and the Champions League, and Sony televises the IPL" (SYDNEY MORNING HERALD, 4/25).

'NO INKLING': In Auckland, Dylan Cleaver reported New Zealand Cricket was "made aware of the registrations, but have no information as to what Essel plan to do with the names." NZC board member Greg Barclay said, "We have no inkling at this stage. The first indication we had of anything overt being done was in December when Essel registered the corporations. We notified the ICC and they have taken it relatively seriously." While it "seems unlikely that they would attempt another franchise T20 league in India," the ICC is "no doubt concerned the burgeoning United States market is the next battleground." The U.S. is seen as an "untapped market, with its huge subcontinental expat base." It is "widely reported that the second-highest click rate for cricket news and information behemoth cricinfo.com" is the U.S. Traditional cricket authorities have "failed to set up a sustainable model" in the U.S., and Essel may see this as a "viable option" (NEW ZEALAND HERALD, 4/25).

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