BCCI bars Laxman, Chawla and Agarkar from joining ICL-linked English Counties

[adharcric]

http://content-usa.cricinfo.com/india/content/story/361523.html

Earlier it was just annoying, now they're screwing over their own cricketers. Chawla really needed that experience too. Bastards.

 

[Mr Mxyzptlk]

The BCCI is so childish.

 

[Athlai]

Money grubbing thugs IMO.

 

[LA ICE-E]

BCCI is just straight up selfish in everything they do.

 

[silentstriker]

Why is this shocking or surprising? I'd do the same thing in their position. They want to punish everyone remotely associated with ICL. They can't do anything to the counties, except exclude them from the Champions trophy, and ban their players from associating them.

Now, I'm sure Laxman at this point doesn't particularly need the money or have to worry about his career, so he could take the BCCI to court for restraint of trade. It's too much to expect to have Chawla or someone like that do that, considering it may halt his career if he pisses of the wrong people, but Laxman definitely should.

 

[Jono]

Why is this shocking or surprising? I'd do the same thing in their position. They want to punish everyone remotely associated with ICL. They can't do anything to the counties, except exclude them from the Champions trophy, and ban their players from associating them

Yeah but you're a **** with no morals at all. You'd probably shoot Laxman instead of just barring him.

 

[silentstriker]

Yeah but you're a **** with no morals at all. You'd probably shoot Laxman instead of just barring him.

I'm not saying its the right thing to do - it's not. But if I was the head of the BCCI, and I had the political power to implement these rules in order to crush a competitor, I ought to be fired if I didn't do it.

Again, that doesn't make it right and Laxman should take them to court on restraint of trade. But India has let the BCCI get monstrously powerful politically, not just financially, and this type of stuff comes with the territory.

 

[Jono]

Nah, this is will have a more detrimental effect on Indian cricket, both in the short and long term.

Its not the right decision, whether it be on a moral scale or business scale.

 

[silentstriker]

Nah, this is will have a more detrimental effect on Indian cricket, both in the short and long term.

In what way?

 

[Top_Cat]

Why is this shocking or surprising? I'd do the same thing in their position. They want to punish everyone remotely associated with ICL. They can't do anything to the counties, except exclude them from the Champions trophy, and ban their players from associating them.

Now, I'm sure Laxman at this point doesn't particularly need the money or have to worry about his career, so he could take the BCCI to court for restraint of trade. It's too much to expect to have Chawla or someone like that do that, considering it may halt his career if he pisses of the wrong people, but Laxman definitely should.

This won't surely impact financially on the IPL or BCCI, especially since the guys themselves are contracted to their IPL teams for a while, so I reckon it's pretty damn childish of them. Just puts the players and counties in question off-side. If I was a county boss, I'd be thinking it was a political move to encourage me to get rid of ICL-contracted players.

The BCCI can and should be able to make as much money as they can from the IPL but I read this as trying to affect things in another country which they'd be horribly over-stepping their bounds. What you say above is the legal position but it's all the reading in between the lines that people will do which would piss them off. And the example of Chawla is a crap position for the BCCI to put a young player in, no matter how perfectly legal it is.

 

[Top_Cat]

I'm not saying its the right thing to do - it's not. But if I was the head of the BCCI, and I had the political power to implement these rules in order to crush a competitor, I ought to be fired if I didn't do it.

Being a CEO is more than just crushing your competitors, though. They have to weigh the political implications of doing so and, in the case of ICL, surely just waiting it out will have the same effect. A CEO also has to see the long-term implications of their actions and if killing off ICL now will cause them problems later, that is what should get them fired.

A relevant example; the short-term fix of killing off Ansett in Australia gave QANTAS the monopoly in domestic flights but then allowed Virgin to enter the market, something they probably wouldn't have done otherwise. Virgin have been under-cutting QANTAS for years now (much larger international company) and, for other reasons too, QANTAS announced they're shedding 1500 jobs overnight. Sometimes allowing symbiosis with competitors is a better strategy.

 

[Jono]

Nah, this is will have a more detrimental effect on Indian cricket, both in the short and long term.

Its not the right decision, whether it be on a moral scale or business scale.

1. Denying the young and upcoming future talent of India the invaluable experience of bowling in England, on English pitches. Winning makes money. God knows how much the BCCI benefitted from India winning the T20 World Cup. Chawla will have a big say in India's potential success within the next 5-7 years. He will also become quite marketable since he's young, and whilst he's no Yuvraj or Dhoni, spin + youth + success will sell.

The fact is the BCCI cares about results, otherwise why would they switch from coach to coach so often if on-field performance didn't matter, and it was all about dollars and cents?

2. No matter how strong, rich and powerful an organisation is, burning bridges with other influential bodies is stupid unless it is over a significant matter. This, as has been described, is childish. Even the top dogs neet to network and tread carefully.

 

[Sanz]

This is just insane. So what are BCCI going to do about the English players who play for those counties and part of the English squad that is going to tour India in winter ? Are they going to allow those players to play in India ? If Yes then why restrict your own players from doing the same.

 

[silentstriker]

If I was a county boss, I'd be thinking it was a political move to encourage me to get rid of ICL-contracted players.

But that's exactly what it is! That and the bar from participating in champions trophy.

 

[Top_Cat]

But that's exactly what it is! That and the bar from participating in champions trophy.

Yep and it's a crap move. Forget the moral side, it's bad business and will cost them eventually.

 

[silentstriker]

Yep and it's a crap move.

Never disagreed with that. It could be quite illegal too, if Laxman challenges them on it.

With that said, if I were Lalit Modi, I'd absolutely do it.

 

[Top_Cat]

Never disagreed with that. It could be quite illegal too, if Laxman challenges them on it.

With that said, if I were Lalit Modi, I'd absolutely do it.

Would you? Surely the scientist in you would preclude such a political, emotive move? You'd surely see through such a short-sighted idea of 'punishment' for the ICL players and see the future where ICL will soon enough fall over of its own accord without such divisive politicking.

 

[pasag]

Being a CEO is more than just crushing your competitors, though.

Yeah, business and competition theory has moved away from the attack and destroy at all costs function and if anything companies like that are seen by others as 'bad companies' who themselves should be shunned and are destructive to the market in general.

 

[silentstriker]

Would you? Surely the scientist in you would preclude such a political, emotive move?

If I was soulless enough to pursue a career in the BCCI, anything short of mass genocide would be viable option on the table.

You'd surely see through such a short-sighted idea of 'punishment' for the ICL players and see the future where ICL will soon enough fall over of its own accord without such divisive politicking.

It's not about the ICL, or its players. By themselves, they are not a serious threat to the BCCI. Cricket is absolutely huge in India, and another organization could very easily exist in the future that might be a serious threat. There is enough money for that.

They are setting an example, and letting everyone know that they will not be tolerated. If they ignore the ICL and let them carry on, even if ICL fails, someone else will be willing to try again. They need you to know it'll be fruitless because the BCCI will move with the full force of their political and financial might to crush you.

Yeah, business and competition theory has moved away from the attack and destroy at all costs function and if anything companies like that are seen by others as 'bad companies' who themselves should be shunned and are destructive to the market in general.

Those rules don't apply to absolute monopolies like BCCI, especially as they have a lot of political power on top of their 100% market share.

 

[Top_Cat]

It's not about the ICL, or its players. By themselves, they are not a serious threat to the BCCI. Cricket is absolutely huge in India, and another organization could very easily exist in the future that might be a serious threat. There is enough money for that.

They are setting an example, and letting everyone know that they will not be tolerated. If they ignore the ICL and let them carry on, even if ICL fails, someone else will be willing to try again. They need you to know it'll be fruitless because the BCCI will move with the full force of their political and financial might to crush you.

All well and good but I'm saying if they're so concerned with making money, etc., why would they annoy entities they should be working to have onside e.g. English counties like Hampshire? The monopoly only exists in India. Outside of India, the very last thing they should be doing is pissing off those who are in the same business but aren't competitors for their dollars.

That said, I guess it depends on where their dollars are coming from. If they b0rk relationships with everyone and team India suffers, but IPL makes the bazillions, they could conceivably be self-sufficient and extend a middle-finger to the rest of the world.. However, signs point to the conclusion that IPL wasn't a massive hit with the crowds (although it'll be hard to judge until it comes around again) and if THAT becomes it's big money-maker, and it falters, then they'll be in trouble. Not to mention that there would surely be some political pressure coming back at them if they put all their eggs in the IPL basket but team India can't win a game anywhere.