Qamar Ahmed: Pakistan cricketers start marketing firm (5 June 1997)

05 June 1997

Cricketers start marketing firm in England

Qamar Ahmed

LONDON, June 4: County cricketers who are the members of The Professional Cricket Association (PCA) have launched their own marketing company to explore commercial opportunities and to increase their overall profile. The company, PCA Management Ltd, aims to establish a business club offering cricket-related hospitality packages and raising a significant amount of funds every year for the benefit of its members who require health care, legal advice and support during their career. The purpose of the association will be to run the organisation on very much the same footing as does the Professional Footballers Association which has already a fund generation for its members in need. The PCA, which was formed in 1967, has been for years successful in the grant of minimum wages. For county cricketers, the introduction of pension scheme, funding of a cricketers charity and standardisation of contracts. With David Graveney the chairman of the selectors as its present General Secretary the association to make sure that it is financially strong enough to continue to improve the benefits for its members. Until now the association had survived through numerous measures and a grant from the English Cricket Board but as more money comes into the game more demands are made on the players.

The marketing company's aim also is to prepare members during their playing days for meaningful employment after they quit and to provide temporarily accident cover throughout the year, not just during the season and permanent insurance cover to be increased from the average 25,000 pounds to 100,000. They also aim to make maximum allowable grants to members and the dependants who fall on hard times. A PCA Business Club is planned which will give 100 companies a number of exclusive incentives for the 5,000 pounds a year membership fees. They also plan to start a PCA Annual Year Book which is to be published soon. A spokesman from the association says, "We are looking carefully to nurture the PCA brands of products by creating links with companies in UK and the Club will offer a unique opportunity for companies to form a partnership with PCA, directly supporting the players and helping to ensure a bright and healthy future for the game. In return, Business Club members will reach new markets through access to cricketers and to other companies to which they can offer goods and services."

"It surely is not going to clash with the marketing interests of the English Cricket Board," says the PCA official. There was a lot of resentment amongst the countries last year who had demanded a fair share of the money paid by Sky TV to ECB for television rights. But the board had not conceded.

Source:: Dawn (https://xiber.com/dawn/)