ACA Rejects Australia's Cricket pay proposal

The festering pay dispute between Cricket Australia (CA) and its players continues to linger after the Australian Cricketers' Association (ACA) rejected CA's latest pay proposal. Neither of the parties has budged from their earlier positions with CA determined for reforms to end the 20-year-old revenue sharing system.

Last month, CA tabled a deal for total player payments of (AUD) $419 million over five years which would do away with the fixed-revenue sharing model. It has been reported that CA feels spending money to grow the game is being severely restricted under the current revenue sharing model.

The ACA said the pay proposal "disrespects the value of domestic cricketers and the role they play in Australian cricket". "The ACA also expresses frustration that what should be a relatively simple and good faith negotiation has not proceeded in this way," the ACA said in a statement on Friday (April 28). "The fact that CA has, despite various attempts to do so, produced no logical reason to break the successful partnership model and longstanding relationship with players, leaves the players unclear as to CA's objectives.

"That's why the players urge Cricket Australia's Board to fundamentally revise and restructure CA's proposal, as a precondition to further negotiations," it added.

The ACA proposed an alternate revenue sharing model. "The proposal is for a 22.5/22.5/55 split of agreed revenue share to grassroots cricket, the players and CA respectively," the statement read.

"An updated and inclusive definition of cricket revenue is required given the current loopholes and exclusions of revenue streams like digital revenue. Players are also prepared to increase their exposure to revenue risk given their preparedness to share any underachievement of revenue forecasts as part of a revamped revenue share model."

James Sutherland, CA chief executive, said he was disappointed with ACA's rejection of the pay offer. "They appear to have spent nearly six weeks talking with everyone but the organisation that can provide them with the right information, and with whom they need to conclude an agreement on behalf of their members," he said on Friday. "They will find, when they sit down with us and understand the detail, that this really is a ground-breaking offer and a fair deal for all players.

"In particular, it offers higher guaranteed payments at a time of uncertainty, while continuing to provide a share of cricket's financial surpluses to players at the pinnacle of the game," he added. "It also allows CA to address the disparity between pay for men and women and the urgent need to invest more in the grassroots of the game, particularly junior cricket. We make no apology for investing in priorities that will secure cricket's sustainable future."

Sutherland said CA was committed to upgrading the revenue sharing model. "One of the key elements of our offer is greater financial security for all players," he said. "We have deliberately lifted the amount for guaranteed payments, by 58% in fact."

 

Despite the stalemate, Sutherland said he remained confident of a resolution. "We have eight weeks to conclude a deal. We have always said that the two parties agree on more than they disagree," he said. "We want to resolve this for them, so they can look forward to a fantastic summer of cricket.''