CWI cuts deep as financial crisis bites

PLAYERS AND domestic cricket across the region will feel the brunt of financial cuts as Cricket West Indies (CWI) moves to slash costs.

This, with CEO Chris Dehring confirming the suspension of two major tournaments and cuts to player contracts as the board scrambles to right-size its finances.

“West Indies cricket is at an important crossroads,” Dehring said in a stakeholder address yesterday, adding that the organisation’s small size and limited resource base mean it is “frequently impacted more negatively than most” by the financial pressures reshaping global cricket.

Dehring revealed that CWI has spent more than US$80 million on domestic airlines over the past 15 years, without a single dollar of sponsorship in return.

“The high cost of domestic travel and accommodation absorbs too much of our scarce resources every year instead of being deployed for the direct benefit of our cricket,” he said.

To address the immediate cash crunch, the board has secured a US$16 million loan facility from the ICC, released in three tranches, but tied to strict repayment conditions.

“As with any other lender, this loan comes with terms of repayment and conditions that will require Cricket West Indies to attain critical metrics,” Dehring explained.

As part of the shake-up, this year’s Men’s Super 50 tournament has been suspended, with those resources redirected towards preparing the core ODI squad for next year’s World Cup Qualifiers and the ICC Cricket World Cup in South Africa. The Women’s T20 Blaze has also been suspended, with the top four finishers from earlier this year instead qualifying for next year’s Pan American Games in Lima.

Domestic retainer contracts for players have been cut from 12 months to seven while international retainers remain at 12 months but face a 25 per cent reduction in fees.

Dehring said the West Indies Players’ Association and the players themselves have shown “the spirit of cooperation” and “understanding of the circumstances we all face”, describing the cuts as “not ideal” but “a necessary step towards financial stability”.

In place of the suspended tournaments, CWI will stage new invitational Olympic qualification tournaments for men and women, open to the 10 countries under its umbrella eligible for the Games.

“It’s an opportunity for individual countries to galvanise national resources to chase Olympic glory,” Dehring said, with winners advancing to the ICC’s Olympic Qualifying tournament and a shot at Los Angeles 2028.

International consulting firm Teneo has also been brought in to conduct a full organisational review of CWI’s operations, its policies, processes, and people.

Beyond the cuts, Dehring outlined plans for multimillion-dollar high-performance centres across the region, starting in Antigua, along with the rollout of high-tech cricket simulators and expansion into new commercial markets, including Canada.

Dehring described the moment as CWI’s “Carlos Brathwaite Moment”, calling on the region to back “bold, risk-taking strokes” as the organisation works “to go for sixes where singles, twos, or even fours won’t suffice” in its bid to stabilise West Indies cricket for the future.

kayon.raynor@rjrgleaner.com