BCA ponders 2007 Cup levy (13 May 1999)

13 May 1999

BCA ponders 2007 Cup levy

Philip Spooner

With the West Indies due to host the 2007 cricket World Cup, the Barbados Cricket Association (BCA) has already begun to put in place strategic planning for competition.

President of the BCA, Tony Marshall, sent a message to the membership warning them that some changes may be required as the region prepares to host the game's major showpiece.

Addressing the BCA's annual awards ceremony on Monday at Sherbourne Centre, Marshall said the membership was going to have to come to grips fully with the fact that there would be a few options open to the BCA.

He was speaking against the backdrop that the time had come for maximum utilisation of seating at all grounds so to further increase gate receipts.

"The World Cup stands as a beacon ahead of us and most of what we have planned will have a focus on that event," Marshall said.

"We have to come to the realisation that things will change We have options. We may have to increase subscriptions, or invoke a levy.

"The BCA will have to withstand the cost from within its own resources. There is nothing known as a free seat to the ICC (International Cricket Council). For the World Cup, if we are going to do it, then we are going to have to introduce it from before the World Cup comes."

Marshall said that with 1500 members the BCA was caught in a situation similar to that of the Trinidad and Tobago Cricket Board, which had to facilitate over 2000 members.

"Everyone has heard comments made about Grenada. There are not enough Test matches to go around to venues and would-be venues for everybody to get a Test match," the BCA president said.

"There has been very serious lobbying in terms of One-Day games. Questions are being asked why Barbados and Trinidad get two One-Dayers.

"Grenada was able to register the first full sell-out in West Indies history. This is because Grenada has no membership. Every single seat was bought."

Marshall also touched on the issue of crowd control which has been hot on the tongues of cricket fans since the bottle-throwing incident during he seventh One-Day International in Barbados.

"We have to pay attention to many facets," Marshall said.

"The BCA and other boards in the West Indies will have to adjust to the fact that we must provide total, individual seating. Every patron must have a seat allocated to them."

The evening belonged to the players and Police walked away with the lion's share of prizes.

They collected $8 000 and a brand new Suzuki for winning the Courts Suzuki Division 1 title. Their Division 2 team also took home the top prizes.

Sylvester Louis and Stanton Proverbs, were also among the five Cave Shepherd Players Of The Year. The others were Shawn Graham of ICB Empire, Kerry Lucas of Big B Spartan and Winston Reid of Banks.

Source :: The Barbados Nation (https://www.nationnews.com/)