Dear Editor,
As you stated in last Sunday’s editorial captioned “Guyana Amazon Warriors Season” (GT Sep 23), the team brought the nation and supporters pride although it did not win the championship at the Tarouba stadium on Sep 16. Guyana has been in all of the qualifiers over the last six seasons, and played the semifinal five times and the final four times; that is achievement. Trinidad & Tobago won the final, and with it the most trophies (three) so far in CPL history. We must cheer the Amazon Warriors even amidst the agony of defeat, for the team has done us proud and also brought in a lot of revenues and jobs to the economy.
On national pride and support for our team, I was in Trinidad for the CPL final between Guyana and Trinidad. Many Guyanese flew in from Canada and USA, as well as from Guyana, Antigua, and St Martin to watch the match. There were also a lot of Guyanese who are residents of the twin-island nation cheering both sides – divided loyalty. There was much interaction among all about the game – Trinis and Guyanese. Although our team did not win, Guyanese fans cheered our boys.
One side had to win the match, and naturally, there was much disappointment among Guyanese fans. Some commented that Guyana needed another 20 runs to make the final more competitive. Some fans felt the 147 scored in the 20 overs could have been successfully defended with tight bowling.
Some blame the Guyana defeat on poor batting and bowling (especially by the non-Guyanese players). Some felt one bowler (who happened to be a Trini) bowled terribly, throwing away the game when he was plundered for over 20 runs in one over; he did indeed bowl very badly.
It is a team, and everyone has to accept responsibility for defeat or victory.
The manager (Omar Khan, a Trini) should not be blamed for the defeat in the final, as was penned by a writer in another paper. Did he not manage the team all the way into the final? Mr Khan has done exceptionally well managing the team since the CPL began some six tournaments ago. For heaven’s sake, it is sports; one triumphs and another loses.
Some felt there should be more Guyanese in the Amazon Warriors team. Players are recruited from other territories and outside the region, to boost chances of winning the title as well as to increase turnout at games and TV viewership, especially from outside the region, which is the largest source of viewership and advertisement dollars.
Viewership brings in a lot of revenues through sponsorship – which is where the bulk of revenues are generated. So one cannot pick an almost all-Guyana team, for that would limit advertisements and sponsorships of local players. What is needed is a right balance of local and foreign players based on bowling, batting, and all-round ability, to boost chance of getting into the playoffs and to increase revenues from attendance, sponsorship, viewership, etc. After all, CPL is a business.
At any rate, there are CPL requirements that a minimum number of players come from other territories and internationally.
With regard to revenues, that is paramount, and money came in from a variety of sources: multitude of sponsorship deals, advertisements, broadcasting rights, sponsorship of games and players, sales of tickets and items related to the games, including clothing and other goods and services associated with such an event. All of the related spending would have reaped millions of American dollars for Guyana. And the spinoff of spending is multiplied four times, according to economists.
Other activities related to the games also add significant revenues to the economy.
There is no disputing that the matches in Guyana boosted the economy. Indeed, the approximately 34 matches (played annually over the six tournaments) have been giving a huge boost to the overall economy of the entire region, adding to economic growth of the territories where the matches were played. The revenues to each territory was/is unprecedented. Governments benefited enormously through taxes and the spread effects of spending that supported hundreds of jobs. The T&T Government, for example, reportedly contributed US$1 million last year and got a return of US $3.5 million — a record 350 percent return. Millions more were added to GDP. This year, T&T Government agreed to give CPL US$1million; the return in the tax coffer is probably also three times that amount again in terms of tax collection at hotels, sales of tickets, foods, employment, travel, rentals, etc. Guyana Government would have been similarly rewarded.
The tourist industry in Guyana and the region also got a boost from CPL, with the number of people who came from outside the territories as well as locals who moved around to watch the games. Many Guyanese came from USA and Canada to watch the playoffs in Guyana and in Trinidad. Mass influx of fans and their spending make CPL a hugely important business that cannot be ignored. The generation of extra revenues and profits were felt further afield, with tourists planning extended trips within each territory.
I applaud the Warriors for their performance and contributions to the economy.
Yours truly,
Vishnu Bisram
