Former Australian cricketer Simon Katich called for an independent review of Cricket Australia's finances, according to Pierik & Cherny of the SYDNEY MORNING HERALD. Katich asked, "Where does all the money go?" As the pay dispute "continued to simmer," the game's governing body would not confirm whether any domestic players were earning more than A$400,000 ($297,300) a season. Players and agents "have privately queried the legitimacy of figures included in a video and graphic released by CA on Tuesday" in which lead negotiator Kevin Roberts outlined CA's desired pay model. Players and agents on Wednesday were reportedly skeptical of the figures mentioned by Roberts, with one player suggesting that the video was "highly exaggerated." Asked about the A$400,000 figure, the player said, "Not a [single domestic] player would be on that." ACA Player Relations Manager Katich said that "the spend on grassroots cricket remained an issue." He added, "One thing is for sure, it's not drained by either the players or grassroots investments, which together account for less than 30 cents in the dollar" (SMH, 5/31).
BIG BASH: In Sydney, Andrew Faulkner reported the Australian Cricketers' Association questioned the numbers detailed in CA's video pertaining to the Big Bash League losing A$33M over five years. But CA quickly countered by saying that the loss was "not so much fake news but old news," as it said that the ACA "already knew about the loss." A CA spokesperson said, "The ACA were given this information six months ago, as part of Cricket Australia's initial MOU submission." CA's comments "came after the ACA queried how the BBL could make such a big loss." Katich said, "Either way, the public and the players need answers. ... Record crowds, record ratings, record sponsorships and merchandising sales each and every year, yet CA are claiming a loss. It defies logic and good business sense" (THE AUSTRALIAN, 6/1). In Melbourne, Russell Gould reported the ACA received independent financial predictions which suggested CA "could reap" more than A$2.5B ($1.86B) in revenue over the next five years. The union and CA are in a "pitched battle over the best way to spend that money on players, grassroots, game investment and management costs" (HERALD SUN, 5/31).
'PROPAGANDA': Gould also reported several state players called the video "propaganda." ACA CEO Alistair Nicholson said that Roberts was "pitching a plan the players had already twice rejected." Nicholson: "Surely there is a point at which the penny has to drop and CA stop haranguing the players and come to the table to mediate. Rather than producing videos and lecturing players, CA need to be trying to resolve this dispute through mediation" (HERALD SUN, 5/31).
