Int'l Cricket Council CEO David Richardson has admitted that TV demands "are behind the controversial decision to reduce the size of the 2019 and 2023 World Cups to 10 teams from 14," according to Tim Wigmore of the London INDEPENDENT. He had previously suggested the decision was driven by a desire to ensure the tournament was played between "evenly matched and competitive" teams. There "was an outcry at the reduction from many leading former players, as well as the associate cricketing nations who would miss out." However, Richardson confirmed, "We have gone to market based on a 10-team World Cup." Last year the rights for the '15-23 cycle of ICC events were sold to ESPN Star Sports "partly on the basis of guaranteeing India nine games, as Richardson now admits." Richardson: "That’s one of the factors, yes. The increase in the revenue is significant and everyone gets the benefit of that." The MCC World Cricket Committee -- on which Richardson sits -- "recently recommended the World Cup include 12 teams rather than 10." But Richardson "does not envisage a U-turn at the ICC’s board meeting in October." Richardson "expressed his concern about the dependence of the world game on India, and said he hoped more would be done to expand the game into new frontiers." Richardson: "We are too reliant on revenue generated out of India. That’s a problem for the game" (INDEPENDENT, 7/22).
