Franchise Model And Route Back For Former Players

[aydee]

I hope this goes well. Has the potential to be a vast improvement, but also to be a damp squib.

Send the draft idea to ZC, I highly doubt their thinking has stretched as far as this yet...

[CrimsonAvenger]

I hope this goes well. Has the potential to be a vast improvement, but also to be a damp squib.

I second this. Hoping for great results from this though.

[Detective RDS]

Link: http://content.cricinfo.com/zimbabwe/co ... 03564.html

Zimbabwe cricket

Zimbabwe rips up domestic structure and starts again

Steven Price in Harare

May 8, 2009

Zimbabwe Cricket has once again made changes to its provincial structure, and from next season it will be based on five regional franchises, as recommended in the recent ICC report into the country's cricketing infrastructure.

The five franchises will be based in Harare, Bulawayo, Mutare, Kwekwe and Masvingo. "It's a model which is similar to [that used by] Cricket South Africa since 2004" a spokesman explained. "It decentralises the administration of first-class cricket and has worked very well there."

The board has tinkered with the domestic set-up several times in recent years, initially to remove all areas of dissent, and then to try to find a solution to falling standards. Many believed the new structures were aimed at consolidating all power within the ZC elite, and there were reports that funds did not always filter down to the grass roots.

This does not seem to have been lost on the ICC and one of the more forceful recommendations was that decentralisation was vital. While senior stakeholders welcomed the news, one told Cricinfo that it would only work if there was a high level of transparency in the funding of the new franchises "otherwise their income will depend on their subservience to those running the board".

However, that appears to have been recognised, and the new franchises will have far greater autonomy that previously, taking charge of almost every aspect of the game in their regions.

"Under the new system, ZC will grant five selected franchise management committees the rights to administer first-class cricket on a professional basis, and as a commercially viable business," a statement read. "The franchises will, among other things, contract players, employ technical staff and maintain a facility to use as a home ground."

"ZC will provide the franchises with an annual grant, but it will be the responsibility of the individual franchise to raise any extra capital requirements through sponsorship and other fund-raising initiatives."

"This change in structure is groundbreaking in that it will empower the wider community in Zimbabwe to become actively involved in the sport," said Peter Chingoka, the board chairman.

The Franchises

Harare Metropolitan and Mashonaland Central who will use Harare Sports Club as a home base

Bulawayo Metropolitan and Matabeleland North to use Queens Sports Club in Bulawayo as home venue.

Midlands and Mashonaland West to use Kwekwe Sports Club as base.

Manicaland and Mashonaland East to play home matches at Mutare Sports Club.

Masvingo and Matabeleland South to use Masvingo Sports Club.

Steven Price is a freelance journalist based in Harare

© Cricinfo

[Detective RDS]

Link: http://www.sundaynews.co.zw/inside.aspx ... 3467&cat=5

Zimbabwe Cricket to operate franchise system

Sports Reporter

Zimbabwe Cricket (ZC) has decentralised the running of professional cricket in the country, the organisation’s head of media and communications, Shingai Rhuhwaya, has confirmed.

During an extraordinary meeting in Harare on Thursday, the ZC board unanimously voted to adopt a franchise model, which will decentralise responsibilities and funding so that provinces are empowered to administer and grow the game at local level.

ZC will also decentralise the management of facilities and empower the provinces to take up the maintenance of facilities in their areas. This development will effectively decentralise the administration of first class cricket in Zimbabwe and comes into effect at the beginning of the 2009/2010 season this August.

The franchise system is also in line with 12 of the 35 recommendations made by the International Cricket Council Task Team which visited Zimbabwe in November last year.

Under the new system, ZC will grant five selected franchise management committees (franchises) the rights to administer first class cricket on a professional basis, and as a commercially viable business, in Harare, Bulawayo, Mutare, Kwekwe and Masvingo.

The franchises will contract players, employ technical staff and maintain a facility to use as a home ground. ZC will provide the franchises with an annual grant, but it will be the responsibility of the individual franchise to raise any extra capital requirements through sponsorship and other fund-raising initiatives. The franchises will select players from the current pool in the country and from those abroad.

Each franchise will have a management committee to which the franchise chief executive officer will report.

Under the new structure, the ZC board will remain the ultimate policy-making body, working hand in hand with the provincial boards to set and govern the implementation of the franchise policy.

The provincial boards will, through the area offices, continue to administer the development of cricket in schools and provincial leagues which is the foundation that will create a feeder system for first class cricket. Because of the supporting role of the provinces for the new system, each franchise will channel a portion of its funds to the province for development programmes run by the area office.