The publication of my first letter in the [Barbados] Nation Newspaper dated April 3, 2024, highlighted that the Barbados Cricket Association (BCA) received BBD$11,000,000 from their Government and will be using none of it to pay local cricket players during their season which commenced last weekend. Since then, I sought to speak to different cricket representatives across the Caribbean to gain a more in-depth understanding of this issue of lack of payment at the local level considering the globalisation and incentivisation of what used to be “our game”. This element of practice within my field of expertise (Applied Sport Psychology) is being used to underscore the importance of extrinsic motivation concerning cricket participation and performance across the region.
In speaking with persons from Trinidad and Tobago, Jamaica, Guyana, the Leeward and Windward Islands, is it now unanimously known that across the Caribbean, cricket players at the local level are paid nothing for their skills and services to their governing bodies. Interestingly, the discussions with various individuals offered different perspectives about the inequity and/or lack of funding in their own country in comparison to that of others. To sum up these discussions, the BCA was deemed to be carrying the regional heavyweight funding title given their cash flow and the steady stream of income that they have received from reputable sources like the Barbados Lottery for many years.
What I found to be surprising was the system of cricket funding in T&T. As an onlooker and admirer, I thought for many years that their top league was “semi-professional” but have now learned that some wealthy club owners do what is necessary to retain and keep key players content in return for their commitment annually. A vast contrast to that of other clubs and players who are left to fend for themselves. An example of this can be seen in the most recent story shared by Daren Ganga, president of Victoria United, who claimed that his club received “no [financial] support” from the Trinidad and Tobago Cricket Board (TTCB) and as such, was unable to facilitate his team competing in their reserve league. This is just one of the many stories where the lack of funding has negatively affected performance outcomes in local cricket across the Caribbean.
In Jamaica, it was believed that the lack of compensation at the local level should be seen as a key determinant to strive in being selected for the national team as this is where the reward lies for some. The little funding that is provided by the Jamaica Cricket Association (JCA) to deliver the local season is mainly used for “hydration” and pitch preparation, with little thought given to the actual livelihood of the players.
Guyana, like T&T, saw the compensation of players as being essential but lamented that they did not believe that it was seen as a key priority by regional administrators. However, the perspective shared by the Leeward Islands provoked much thought and was seen to be the most progressive in terms of steps that could be taken towards financial liberation.
Cricket West Indies (CWI) has several sources of funds; however, the organisation has operated in deficit for many years. Regional governments contribute to its financial upkeep, just as funding would be provided by member governments of the Leeward and Windward Islands Cricket for theirs. The size of the territory matters, just as the number of players from a specific country; whether a government contributes and to what extent is heavily dependent on those factors. Organisations like the Leeward Islands find themselves with a lesser stake of funding and wear themselves thin, not only at the franchise level but having to deliver tournaments in their respective member countries; I suspect that this would also be the case for Windward Cricket. Interestingly, this could be a mirrored view of the team structure of CWI from an outsider’s perspective as we are indeed several islands coming together to compete under one banner.
As such, one must beg the question, “Where does this leave us?” Funding across the Caribbean is scarce and unfairly disbursed. Having recently announced an 800 per cent increase in the prize money for the Regional 4-Day Tournament from USD$30,000 to USD$250,000, could those funds have been better utilised by CWI and distributed to the countries struggling to maintain? Could that USD$220,000 be shared equitably among the six organisations that constitute the regional body and monies be used to fund the salaries of local cricket players instead of one country having all as a prize? Should countries like Barbados be made to pay a levy into some kind of ‘West Indies Cricket Development Fund’ to ensure that those better off are carrying some of the CWI’s financial burdens? Lastly, are WI all really in this together? I stated earlier that cricket was once “our” game, is it still?
In one of my conversations, it was lamented that the “Big 3” have monopolised international cricket funding, and therefore, a “no ball” from “non-essential” players like CWI could see the stumps pulled up, signalling the end of the play. Is this the force that was once West Indies Cricket? Administration across the region is rooted in a myopic consciousness coupled with learned helplessness to further complicate the matter. The fact remains that cricket in the Caribbean is a form of modern-day slavery for players at the local level. Slavery is defined as “a condition of having to work very hard without proper remuneration or appreciation.” There would be no CWI without the BCA, TTCB, JCA, GCB, LICB, or Windwards Cricket and those organisations would not exist without local cricket players. Men and women who have given their time and energy over the years for a game that they love. The intrinsic motivation has been satisfied and we see proof of it annually when players commit come rain or shine to play in leagues across the Caribbean without pay. Additionally, in speaking to the women’s game, the factor of gender lends a level of complexity beyond the scope of this letter, as the intersection of that and race at the international level further confounds this matter of compensation regionally. These, however, will be explored in due course.
Until we acknowledge that we are our greatest enemy, issues with funding and development will continue, thereby further perpetuating this vicious cycle of under-preparation and under-performance at the international level. Constructive measures must be put in place to assess and evaluate CWI’s organisational structure, but most importantly, to understand the roles and functions of persons charged with driving the organisation forward. Before the first ball is bowled in this year’s version of the T20 World Cup, leaders of the organisation should seriously introspect and consider whether their motives and the organisation’s vision are coherent and constructive.