Garth Whatley: Poor crowd support at Red Stripe matches dents coffers (28 May 1997)

Wednesday, May 28, 1997

Poor crowd support at Red Stripe matches dents Caribbean coffers...

TTCBC lose $100,000

Alloy Lequay...wants to see changes in Red Stripe competition

By GARTH WATTLEY

THE 1997 Red Stripe Cup season was unsuccessful for Trinidad and Tobago's cricketers. It was also unprofitable for their employers, the Trinidad and Tobago Cricket Board of Control - to the tune of TT $100,000.

This, according to TTCBC president Alloy Lequay is the estimated extent of the losses for the ten-round season in which the Board hosted five matches.

"After taking the total costs from the five games in Trinidad, plus our players' fees for the five away games, when you put that all together and you deduct the gates and the sponsorship allocation that we had, I would figure that we could lose about $100,000," Lequay told the Express yesterday.

While the TTCBC president acknowledged that poor crowds which witnessed the national team's home games were a contributory factor, he also laid blame on the two-round system that was introduced this season. "It has given us the opportunity to expose more players to that level of cricket. But that to me has been the only redeeming factor," Lequay said, adding, "all the Boards are coming out with financial losses." And the TTCBC chief hinted that, come next year, the format for the West Indies season could be changed again.

"The West Indies Board is already re-examining the structure of Red Stripe for 1998," he began. "There is a proposal that is there already." This proposal, to be discussed at the Board's meeting in Guyana at the weekend, involves the reduction of the ten-game competition. "It will be a minor change in the present structure that will give more than a one-round tournament but not to go for two rounds," Lequay explained.

While admitting that money was "a factor," Lequay however did not feel that any change would be purely because of finance. "The West Indies Board hopes to get an additional sponsor next year. In addition to Red Stripe you might have a co-sponsor and that will offset the cost," Lequay said.

However, Lequay said in his opinion, the real problem is, "the commitment of the players and our own international commitments." To illustrate his point, the T&T representative on the WICB pointed to the number of West Indies players who were missing from the last round of Red Stripe action.

"It seems to me that the players are not enjoying that long first-class season." Lequay also noted the extended season presented special scheduling problems. Lequay said the need to satisfy sponsors had to be balanced against the West Indies' international programme. "Regional cricket must fit into your international commitments," Lequay said.

Next year will be another busy one for the Caribbean team. January will see them still in Pakistan completing their 1997/98 tour. The Windies will also play in Sharjah in 1998, while the "A" team will visit South Africa.

The formatting of next season's competition is not the only matter of concern to the TTCBC president.

Lequay also expressed his disappointment with the performance of the national team.

"Inconsistent and in the end disappointing," was the way he described the performance of the team that finished fourth in the six-team competition.

"I would have been reasonably satisfied with winning the Shell Sandals and coming second in the Red Stripe," he added. "But the inconsistency of the team over the period seems to me to suggest that there is not enough focus by the players."

And when he addressed the gathering at the Carib National League/Sunday league news briefing yesterday, the president queried the club structure currently in place.

"Our National League clubs are not satisfying our expectations and the national expectations," he declared, adding, "Should we provide incentives to clubs who provide national players?" Lequay then announced that plans are in place for a consultation to discuss the "public support for local cricket."

The session is carded for the Board's Queen's Park Oval office on June 25.

Source :: The Trinidad Express (https://www.trinidad.net/express/)