Statement from the Executive of the Australian Cricketers' Association

1 January, 2017

Statement from the Executive of the Australian Cricketers' Association

The Executive of the Australian Cricketers' Association (ACA) met in Sydney on Monday for the first time since Cricket Australia suspended MOU talks in December last year.

The ACA Executive said it was important for formal talks to reconvene and to be informed by full financial disclosure from Cricket Australia as has been provided in the past and would happen in any partnership.

In addition, the ACA Executive called for the renewed MOU between the ACA and CA to:

  • Include domestic and international cricketers in the revenue sharing model regardless of gender;
  • Place a ceiling on Cricket Australia's administrative costs to create space for greater grass roots investment as future revenues grow;
  • Remove all contractual anomalies relating to female cricketers; and
  • Engage more fully with players on cricket scheduling;

Critically, the ACA Executive emphasised the need for the MOU to be settled before contracts and renewals are offered to the players, offering to work with Cricket Australia, the BBL and WBBL franchises and player agents to create a way forward such that the players, franchises and associations would have the comfort they need whilst the MOU is being negotiated.

The ACA Executive noted the players are unanimous in support of the ACA's submission and in their need for full financial disclosure.

ACA Chairman Greg Dyer said that it was common sense for any negotiation to be well informed.

"The Executive of the ACA are adamant that there must be greater financial disclosure from Cricket Australia if the talks are to meaningfully progress," Dyer said.

"Many players ask the very fair question: how does the game spend the revenue the players generate for it?

"Players receive less than 20 per cent of total revenue and only 12 per cent currently goes into grass roots investment.

"The players would like to see a greater investment in grass roots cricket, a better deal for female cricketers and an ongoing share of BBL and WBBL revenue they generate.

"We want the negotiations to be fully informed as due diligence demands.

"These are very fair questions and a very reasonable position for the players to take.

"Players regard themselves as genuine partners in the game. This is the strength of the current model. A partnership model which has grown the game and a partnership the players value and will fight for," Dyer said.

ACA CEO Alistair Nicholson added that with the exciting growth in the BBL and WBBL it was only fair that domestic cricketers continue to share in the revenue which they generate.

"The BBL and WBBL is a success, and the ACA congratulates all involved. Surely the players should be able to continue to share in that success.

"The revenue sharing model creates this partnership. A partnership between the players and administrators which is the envy of sporting codes around the world."

Nicholson added that it was important for the MOU to be settled before new and renewed contracts for players were signed.

"Failure to get this sequencing right means that the contracts could include some of the out-of-date terms and conditions the ACA has acknowledged in our submission.

"And could also create different types of contracts which create inequities from player to player.

"The MOU informs the contracts. That's why the sequence needs to be MOU first and contracts second," he said.

The ACA Executive said it would continue to monitor negotiations on behalf of all cricketers.

BACKGROUND

The ACA Executive includes the following members

Greg Dyer (President)
Aaron Finch
Moises Henriques
Neil Maxwell
Lisa Sthalekar
Janet Torney
Shane Watson

© Australian Cricket Players Limited
Photos courtesy of Getty Images
The Australian Cricketers’ Association acknowledges the Traditional Owners of Country throughout Australia. We pay our respect to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures; and to Elders both past and present.