Australian organisers of the ICC Twenty20 World Cup are confident the men's tournament will thrive even if it is directly competing with Australia’s football codes, as they consider COVID-19 contingency plans they hope will never be needed.
The men’s T20 World Cup is scheduled to run in 2020 from October 18 until November 15 in Australia, the final being staged at the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG). The MCG is also the principal venue for many Australian Football League (AFL) matches including the Grand Final. AFL CEO Gillon McLachlan has confirmed the weekend of October 10 is the last practical date for a 2020 Grand Final at the MCG, if it’s to be played before December.
Speculation is rife in India the T20 World Cup could be postponed or cancelled, but at this stage the International Cricket Council (ICC) have instead said they are in a holding pattern. International sport scheduling is in a fluid situation.
Nick Hockley, chief executive of the T20 World Cup organising committee, is putting a positive spin on the situation. "We're wanting to give ourselves the best possible chance of going ahead as planned, so there's no imminent or quick decision," Hockley told AAP.
"Hopefully it's all resolved and we go ahead. In the event that it isn't completely resolved, we are looking at all the different scenarios. Which is only prudent. They are collective discussions involving the organising committee, the ICC, all the members. We will keep everyone updated if anything changes, but for now, we're just under seven months away ... we've got a bit of time."
The tournament had been near-perfectly placed in Australia's sporting calendar, after the popular football seasons come to an end and before the traditional summer of cricket begins, to maximise interest. Organisers of the ICC Twenty20 World Cup are confident the men's tournament will thrive even if it is directly competing with Australia’s football codes, but the postponed Australian Football League(AFL) and National Rugby League (NRL) seasons will now almost certainly last long beyond September if they resume.
The World Cup has contracts, including exclusivity lead-up periods, with the MCG and all its venues, but the battle for TV viewers and crowds, presuming the COVID-19 pandemic has eased to a point where fans are able to attend matches, will be intense.
John Stephenson
john@cricketinvestor.co.uk
