LIAM DEL CARME | CSA is on the money with T20 League — it should be spent wisely

The definition of insanity sprang to mind when news broke of the launch of SA’s new T20 League. Getting a top grade T20 competition going has after all been an ill-fated pursuit as previous iterations have floundered almost as soon as they started.

It has caused Cricket SA much embarrassment, as it shone a harsh light on those who held prominent positions at the organisation.

This time, and here I’m reminded of the coyote in the opening moments of the Looney Tunes cartoons, there is genuine belief that a foolproof plan has been hatched. Previous attempts to launch sustainable ventures, such as the Global League T20 (GL T20) and the Mzansi Super League (MSL), fell by the wayside.

But there seems to be renewed optimism the new SA T20 League will help the drag the domestic game from the financial doldrums. This time SuperSport is on board, having parted with a significant amount to secure broadcast rights, which will be sold to other interested parties.

An insider told me some of the elements that were missing from the GL T20 and MSL are now in place and that nothing should prevent the venture launching with a bang.

Apart from securing a broadcaster that has parted with a pretty penny, franchise licences have been sold at top dollar. The league, which will be played in January and February next year, will feature six franchises all owned by Indian Premier League (IPL) entities. It will lend the venture instant financial muscle as well as expertise from a league that has been running for the past 13 years.

The domestic game is in desperate need of a pick-me-up. It has not captured the imagination for many a year.

Apart from the fistful of dollars, it is also hoped there will be a skills transfer, especially business acumen, that will benefit the local game in the long term. Building capacity and leaving a legacy will be buzzwords in the tournament’s lexicon.

The insider believes being tied at the hip with their peers from India is a no-brainer as it will circumvent some of the issues that have seen previous attempts to launch a T20 league with strong international appeal come to nought.

Moreover, love or loathe the IPL, its organisers know a thing or two about bling and razzmatazz. The domestic game is in desperate need of a pick-me-up. It has not captured the imagination for many a year.

Cricket fans, and I’m not referring to those who don’t bother watching domestic games but get themselves into a flat spin when the Proteas lose, deserve better.

The domestic game has largely been bereft of feel-good stories and the SA T20 competition, if run properly, can catapult it into the big league. That caveat is key. CSAis likely to make a considerable windfall from their new T20 venture. Franchise licences didn’t come cheap, with some understood to be in the region of R400m.

CSA is on a drive to make the game more sustainable and their decision to forgo a three-match ODI series against Australia next year to accommodate the T20 League is an indication that the numbers add up.

They will need to ensure the windfall from the tournament is spent in areas where it is needed most. CSA have at times in the past been detached from their fiduciary duties, but the SA T20 League gives them the opportunity to set things right.

This is their golden goose. As the insider put it: “It’s good money. With good money there is always a bit of pain, but the gains outweigh it.”