CPL’s major impact despite challenges

Despite facing several challenges since it was formed in 2013, the Caribbean Premier League (CPL) has exceeded its expectations every year, says recently appointed chief executive officer Pete Russell.

“For a tournament that takes place in a region of just seven million people to be sitting as the second most-watched T20 league in the world is remarkable, and a credit to everyone involved in the tournament and the fans who have supported us over the years. We had more than half a billion views for the tournament last year and we have continued to deliver value to our commercial partners and for governments across the region,” Russell told Barbados TODAY.

Russell, who served as the chief operating officer of the CPL from its inception in 2013, before replacing Damien O’Donohoe as chief executive officer on July 1, said making the tournament financially feasible was a major hurdle for the management of the CPL.

“The challenge for CPL will always be to make the tournament financially viable in a region that has a small number of people and small economies. We have to continually prove to the fans, commercial partners, and governments across the region that the CPL is something worth investing in. We have done this every year and will continue to do so. CPL contributes hugely to the local economies that we visit as well as to cricket across the Caribbean. We are delighted that we have been able to not only deliver the CPL year after year but also see that contribution grow,” Russell said.

He explained that since 2020, the coronavirus pandemic has bought unaccustomed problems into everyone’s life, including the CPL.

“The pandemic has added new difficulties to everyone’s lives, and it has been no different for the CPL. A big challenge has been international travel. The CPL has been played in six or seven different countries over the years but with the need for quarantine, it has meant that we have had to play all of our matches in one country. Sourcing flights for people to arrive into, and from around the region has been difficult. Unlike a bilateral international series, a franchise tournament has people arriving from all over the globe. Getting those people safely into the Caribbean is an extremely difficult task.

“The costs associated with the tournament have risen massively while the opportunities to make the tournament financially viable have become more difficult. We have worked tirelessly to square that circle and we are very pleased that we have been able to successfully deliver CPL during these difficult times. We are in a really good place as a tournament despite all these challenges and we are very confident that when we get out the other side of this pandemic the CPL will be in an even stronger position,” the CEO said.

According to Russell, the CPL has not encountered difficulties in attracting sponsors to the tournament each year.

“We have seen sponsors keen to be involved with CPL at a league and franchise level. These sponsors have businesses based in the Caribbean as well as global brands who have been very keen to be associated with the tournament. We have seen sponsors come back year after year and we are very pleased with what we have achieved in this regard. We have sold out our sponsorship inventory over the last few seasons and this is another example of the tournament’s

Success,” Russell said.

He described the fans as the most attractive feature of the tournament. “Quite simply the fans. The tournament would be nothing without supporters from across the Caribbean and throughout the world. It was a very different CPL in 2020 without any fans in attendance and this is a reason why we are so pleased to have spectators back for this year in St Kitts.”

A couple of months ago Richard Sealy, who served as Minister of Tourism in Barbados for ten years, told another section of the press: “There are no major tourism benefits from the CPL at the ground level.”

Miller strongly rejected the former minister’s statement saying there was sufficiently independent and historical data to show the positive economic impact the CPL has had on Barbados and the other countries that host the tournament.

“Respectfully, we strongly disagree with what Mr Sealy said and think we have more than enough independent and historical data to prove CPL’s economic value to Barbados and other CPL host countries. Even before a ball is bowled and any tourists arrive to watch the games in Barbados, CPL and the local franchise spend a minimum of US$1.1million on local logistics, staff, and taxes. Sitting outside this spend are 12 local players, two match officials who are employed alongside other Barbadian residents who perform league-wide roles. So, we would frame the question another way – if there wasn’t a CPL team in Barbados what would the country miss out on financially,” Russell asked?.

“To answer that question more precisely, in 2019 Trinidad tourism specifically measured the impact of CPL to Trinidad, doing a deep dive into inbound numbers for CPL matches. Their report showed 4,460 arrivals were attributed to CPL, representing over 5% of all international arrivals during that period. The value of these arrivals to the economy was measured at US$8,950,707.

On a macro level, across the entire tournament in 2019 CPL was responsible for 12,860 fans travelling around the region to watch the games. CPL’s cohort was responsible for 36,830 hotel room nights, giving a tremendous boost to the hospitality sector.

“Independent research put the overall economic impact for the 2019 tournament at US$136million. When Covid struck in 2020, it became impossible to deliver the same direct impact to host countries’ economies as previous years. However, CPL still provided US$260.8 million of exposure through the extensive global media coverage the tournament now has. So whichever metrics you want to consider, we are delighted with the economic impact CPL makes each year,” he added.

The CPL is scheduled to bowl off at Warner Park Stadium, St Kitts on August 28 and runs until September 19.