Daily Times

The sixth meeting of the Pakistan Super League Governing Council was held at the National Cricket Academy Lahore here on Monday. PCB and franchise representatives engaged in constructive discussions covering a wide variety of aspects related to the league. The Governing Council noted the historic commercial rights deals that have seen a 192 percent increase in the title sponsorship and 358 percent increase in media rights. The participants noted that, as a result of these deals, the PCB and the franchisees have collectively exceeded valuations shared by independent global consultants from Lagardere.

Franchise representatives were provided with a comprehensive projection of revenues for PSL 2019. The Governing Council noted that, in line with the original business model of the tournament, the share of each franchisee had increased substantially. While noting the importance of obtaining tax relief from the government to manage cash flows for franchisees, the Governing Council reiterated its commitment to engage with relevant authorities in the coming days.

The Governing Council also reviewed the ticketing strategy for PSL 2019 in detail. It was observed that the PCB had put in place elaborate plans to facilitate fans across the five venues in UAE and Pakistan. This included the provision of shuttle services across different stadia in a bid to improve access for fans. Franchise representatives and PCB officials exchanged ideas on collaborating for game development initiatives. PCB Chairman Ehsan Mani reiterated the Board’s commitment to bring more PSL matches to Pakistan in the coming years. Franchise representatives and PCB participants were also informed of plans to screen PSL matches for fans in Pakistan with the support of local authorities.

Published in Daily Times, January 15^th 2019.