How Jagmohan Dalmiya Commercialized Cricket (Part 5)

SM: When you were president of the ICC, what were the main areas you wanted to improve?

JD: Everything. Coaching, umpiring, and everything associated with the game, and I needed the money to do that. After my first meeting with the ICC I went to Bangladesh. At that time the prime minister was Sheikh Hasina. I was able to get a 30-minute meeting with her and I said, “We want to hold a world cup in Bangladesh. In order to do that I need the ground, the telecast rights, the scoreboard, and all kind of things such as lights. We want to hold this tournament at your place and in return, madam, I have nothing to offer to you except a live telecast to 118 countries and a delayed telecast to 172 countries. After that everyone will know that Bangladesh is a country.”

She said, “I have three comments. My first observation is that I am delighted that you, a Bengali-speaking person, are now the president of ICC and that you are here speaking to me in Bengali. That gives me great pride. Second, I have six ministers here and we will give you everything you have asked for.” I said, “Thank you, that is so nice of you.” She then said “No, there is a third comment. When you came here we gave you what you asked for even though we did not know exactly what that entailed. Now you will not leave my room unless you confirm that this tournament will be run only in Bangladesh.” I said “I am a small president of an international body, and you are the prime minister of a country. Give me three days, please,” and she replied, “No, no.” I said “Twenty-four hours?” and she agreed to that. I came back and had a video conference with all of the members of ICC and got them to agree. We held the tournament and from that single tournament we earned $17 million, of which $14 million was surplus. After that people left me alone when it came to financial topics. The ICC became interested in managing the money after that.

SM: How long, and when, were you the president?

JD: I was president for three years, from 1997 to 2000. In 2000 everyone was asking, “Now what will happen?” I recommended they bundle all telecast rights for seven years and sell them in that manner. We earned $70 million from that. From there ICC has not looked back. BCCI has not looked back.

SM: £16,000 to $70 million. Not bad. How many countries are playing now?

JD: We have added a lot. I think we may have crossed 100 this year. Last year there were 96. When I joined ICC we had 23 countries, of which only nine were full members.

SM: Does ICC now sponsor training?

JD: Now they do everything. It is something worth seeing. Now the entire world is part of this cricket business.

SM: One of the things that changed in cricket in general is that the cricketers became very rich in the process. How does that work?

JD: It is sponsorship. Entirely sponsorship.

SM: Does that go through ICC or BCCI?

JD: It goes to the player. Whatever passes through the BCCI or ICC in prize money is there as well, I think there was $5 million in prize money last year. Money is not a problem now.

This segment is part 5 in the series : How Jagmohan Dalmiya Commercialized Cricket
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