Excitement is building as in a matter of weeks, the HERO Caribbean Premier League (CPL) 2017 tournament will commence with some of the leading West Indian and international talents set to descend on the Caribbean. Now in its fifth year, CPL is now truly established as one of the leading T20 leagues in the world and compares favourably with the likes of the Indian Premier League (IPL) and Big Bash League (BBL).
Based on the composition of the teams so far, the competition this year is expected to be stiff, as some of the best T20 cricketers in the world have been selected to participate in the tournament. In addition to the high level of entertainment provided for families, many stakeholders in the Caribbean; including governments and Private Sector bodies, are very optimistic about the huge potential the tournament has in terms of cricket development in the Caribbean and the development of the Region as a whole.
The massive commercial support given to the tournament so far can never be underestimated. Over the years, the number of commercial partners has increased dramatically; and many of them are already seeing for themselves the significant returns that could be derived from investing and being part of the tournament.
Here in Guyana, telephone giant; Guyana Telephone and Telegraph (GTT) has made a bold decision to become the signature sponsor of the Guyana Amazon Warriors for the 2017 tournament. While there was no disclosure on a cost of the sponsorship, the agreement is expected to see the company have the main branding rights for the team as they seek to improve both the spectators’ experiences at the stadium and nurture local cricketing talent.
Important to note also is that, as part of the agreement, the company will fully support their “Future Amazon Warrior” in 15 year-old Berbician Seon Glasgow, who is expected to participate in the Sir Garfield Sobers Schools Tournament in Barbados in July. It must be mentioned that CPL has a history of providing the opportunity for new talents to emerge. Players like young Nicholas Pooran, Rayad Emrit, Sheldon Cotterell and Steven Jacobs, to name a few, who may have flown under the radar or been overshadowed by the bigger names in the Region, have now been given an opportunity to develop their international cricketing career. We believe that with more companies like GTT coming on board, it would make it possible for more young athletes; such as Glasgow, who are not usually given such opportunities to work towards achieving their dreams.
The CPL games here are a good example of the tremendous benefits that could be derived from a sporting event of that magnitude. Guyana, through the CPL has benefited significantly from hosting the event since the inception of the tournament. The games’ economic impact locally has been both direct and indirect. According to CPL, assessment reports compiled showed that the economy received close to US million last season. The net sum was calculated by looking at the influx of tourists to the country, hotel bookings, vending during the games, and the overall spending of persons during this period. With the Guyana Amazon Warriors success at CPL, Guyana has over the past four years benefited from some US million from the tournament.
Additionally, with tournaments such as these, it is not only the sold out stadiums that warrant the prestige but it is a chance to showcase one’s country on the global market since television viewership would usually span each continent. The tournament has had a global audience for the games through outstanding broadcast coverage on television and radio, in addition to significant presence on social media through Facebook, Twitter and YouTube.
CPL has indeed been a success story not only as it relates to the development of cricket, but the potential for growth and the ability to create the kind of opportunities that would seek to improve the lives of citizens. GTT and other companies here that have shown an interest in investing in the games must therefore be congratulated for having the right vision to be part of such an exciting adventure.
