Australia Recognised as a World Leader

18 April, 2018

Australia has been recognised as a world leader in player employment under a global survey conducted by the Federation of International Cricketers’ Association (FICA).

FICA’s Men’s Professional Cricket Global Employment Report, covering the 2016/17 period, found Australia excelled in average player earnings and returned a positive assessment for its players’ association (ACA), including player welfare.

The report said; “Professional cricketers in Australia are appropriately rewarded for their contribution to the game.

“Their players’ association is strong, delivers outstanding work and makes a valuable impact on the game at all levels.”

The Employment Report is based on analysis of significant statistical data research, including quantitative and qualitative surveying of more than 300 current professional and international players from all nine FICA member countries.

The Employment Report focuses on the shifting employment landscape for players globally, as a key cause for, and effect of, change in the game, and also analyses player employment at individual country-by-country level across major cricketing countries and those with players’ associations.

The Employment Report provides further evidence of significant issues for players and the game, and acts as a benchmark against which FICA will continue to measure the shifting of the game’s professional player landscape and important employment issues.

The Employment Report covered 3,162 men’s professional, first class, list A, major domestic T20 cricketers.

Some key findings included;

  • Increasing number of players are shifting towards playing in major domestic T20 competitions
  • Increasing shift towards free agency
  • No coherent global structure to allow various formats and leagues to co-exist
  • Players feel they have little voice in the future direction of the game
  • 20% of players have experienced discrimination, intimidation or bullying
  • 17% of players have experienced non-payment or late payments
  • Disparity between employment conditions and terms between different leagues

Click here for the full report

In response to FICA’s Men’s Professional Cricket Global Employment Report 2017, ACA General Manager Cricket Operations and Membership Brendan Drew said;

“We are quite fortunate in Australia to have an entrenched partnership in the game with a strong collective of players.”

“But cricket is a global game.

“And as we have Australians playing domestically in numerous countries, issues raised in the report must be addressed in order for the game to continue moving forward.

“The voice of the players must be heard on matters that directly impact them.

“FICA’s role in international cricket is critical in protecting the interests of professional cricketers across the world.”

Australia’s Peter Handscomb was also quoted in the report.

“I think our voice is generally heard in Australia – we are lucky the ACA do an amazing job representing the players,” Handscomb said.

FICA’s Women's Employment Report is currently being finalised and will be circulated in the coming months.

FICA has identified that during the report period there were 3162 men’s professional, first class, list A or major domestic T20 cricketers spread across the 12 ICC full member countries and countries in which FICA works with recognized players’ associations

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