The European T20 Premier League (ETPL), a tournament that has been launched and aborted six times since its inception in 2019, has finally commenced, but not without significant internal divisions and questions surrounding its true beneficiaries.
The tournament's inaugural season features six teams, including the Dublin Guardians and Belfast Wolves, with matches taking place in Voorburg, Netherlands, before moving to Dublin later in September. Despite the excitement for a T20 fixture, the league's structure has drawn criticism.
A Troubled History
The ETPL, formerly known as the Euro T20 Slam, was initially conceived as a high-profile event involving Ireland, Scotland, and the Netherlands, attracting international stars like Eoin Morgan, Rashid Khan, and Dale Steyn. However, it was canceled just weeks before its scheduled start in 2019 due to a lack of infrastructure and financial difficulties faced by its organizers. Subsequent attempts to launch the league in the following years were thwarted by factors including the COVID-19 pandemic, struggles to secure investment, and the departure of original organizers. In recent years, the venture saw a Bollywood actor become a co-owner, but still failed to secure sufficient investment to begin play.
These repeated cancellations disrupted the schedules of participating cricket unions, leaving players and supporters disappointed.
New Leadership, Lingering Doubts
Following the resignation of Warren Deutrom after 19 years as CEO of Cricket Ireland, he soon took on a directorial role with the ETPL and its parent company. Coinciding with his involvement, the league has now begun its 30-match schedule.
The tournament's timing, with early morning matches catering to Indian television audiences, has been noted as potentially alienating local fans, especially younger demographics who may be in school. While the inclusion of international stars like Steve Smith, Faf du Plessis, and Glenn Maxwell, along with Indian player Ravi Ashwin for the Dublin Guardians, is expected to draw some attention, questions persist about who truly benefits from the league.
Irish players reportedly stand to earn between €40,000 and €120,000 for a month's work. Cricket Ireland is set to receive an approximate €1 million facilitation fee and holds a 20% ownership stake, though profitability for the current year is not widely expected. Provincial unions are involved as 'community partners' but are unlikely to see direct financial gains, with their involvement limited to soft support in coaching and youth development.
Impact on the Game
The proliferation of T20 franchise leagues globally, driven by television revenue particularly from India, has led to players accumulating wealth but also exposed them to risks from collapsed leagues that failed to pay. The International Cricket Council (ICC) has faced challenges regulating these leagues, with instances of corruption leading to suspensions and canceled tournaments, such as the recent Bangladesh Premier League.
There is also concern that the fast-paced nature of T20 cricket, which favors aggressive batting, may be detrimental to the development of traditional batting techniques, potentially impacting longer formats like Test cricket. Some Irish players and fans express a strong dislike for T20, believing it negatively impacts the sport's organization and traditional play.
Andrew Balbirnie, Ireland's Test captain, was notably not awarded a contract for this year's ETPL despite scoring a century in the domestic T20 interprovincials, having been part of previous aborted versions of the tournament. The league's current iteration aims to showcase its potential, but its long-term success and positive impact on Irish cricket remain subjects of considerable debate among supporters and stakeholders.