By Peter Simunovich
The United States of America Cricket Association has turned to modern technology usually reserved for high powered corporations to get the message out to its eight regional boards involving how to invest the license fee dividend from Cricket Holdings America LLC (CHA).
USACA president Gladstone Dainty. Photo by Shiek Mohamed
USACA President Gladstone Dainty and Treasurer John Thickett kick off the Town Hall-style meeting, which is computer and telephone based, tonight, when they meet with the North West Region board. Other regional meetings are either already scheduled or in the process of being scheduled.
Dainty and Thickett will explain to the boards, using GoTo Meeting, about the formation of CHA, its history, its key business points, and what it means to USACA stakeholders.
Dainty said that in the past USACA had not been able to communicate well and “now we want to give everyone a chance to have their say. It is very important to have a connection with the regions and the league presidents. These computerized meetings will give everyone a chance to ask questions and make an input.”
Dainty and Thickett want to let cricket administrators across the US know about what CHA is doing, the resources involved and get their ideas on how the money should be invested.
“We want to discuss ideas and the concept of how the money should be spent,” said Thickett.
Dainty added that while the regional boards administered cricket it was also very important for leagues to be involved in the development of the game at a local level.
“This is a draft proposal and it will give stakeholders a chance to look at it and provide feedback and then come to a consensus how the money should be invested among the various stakeholders,” said
The computerized meetings with the regional boards are scheduled to be held over the next three weeks.
Cricket Holdings America LLC was formed in December 2010 between USACA, New Zealand Cricket, the Australian-based marketing company Insite, Top Bloom and Podar Holding International. The entity will hold the majority of commercial rights to cricket in the USA, including the formation of the 20/20 league and the staging of international matches.
Dainty, Thickett, Ram Varadarajan and Dr. Asif Ahmad were appointed by the USACA board to fill the four seats from USACA on the Cricket Holdings America LLC board in April. Varadarajan and Dr. Ahmad are not on the USACA board.
Dainty described the naming of two non board members as “a sign of the maturing of USACA cricket that it is appointing people from outside the game. These people can help the game.”
Thickett noted: “In 45 years of USACA history it has survived on volunteers. Now we will gain a stable cash flow and investment for stakeholders in US cricket. Strategically important decisions are being made and stakeholders can have a say in how to invest the money. If robust decisions are made it will make us a top associate member.”
“This is a chance for us to broaden our horizons,” said Dainty. “Over the past 18 months we have been running a lot of programs and we are looking to have another successful season. We are getting more female and younger cricketers playing. We’re excited it is going in the right direction.”
Thickett said: “We are excited to be sharing the good news. I was told a long time ago by one of my bosses that ‘without money nothing happens.’ Now we should soon have some money to make something happen!”
