Update

[bwildered]

ECB have a development group working up the details of the competition, including commercial structure, venues and operations , day to day running and grassroots link.
Sufficient details to be provided to Chairman and CEO 's on March 27th .

[jwb]

There is a fairly lengthy article in The Times today setting out the proposed format. If anyone who sees it understands it please let me know. Although I do get the bit about not being city based.

[bwildered]

From the article, seems that some county chairman had some concerns . ECB want a totally separate identity from the local county sides,nothing new there,  but some counties where uncomfortable that their players would play elsewhere and each franchise side would play within a area of two / three counties .
The broadcast tender must show live  on free to air TV a certain amount of matches. But at the same time counties would be playing 50 over cricket and England test cricket at the same time seems like cricket overload even for the most dedicated cricket fan .

[jwb]

From the article, seems that some county chairman had some concerns . ECB want a totally separate identity from the local county sides,nothing new there,  but some counties where uncomfortable that their players would play elsewhere and each franchise side would play within a area of two / three counties .
The broadcast tender must show live  on free to air TV a certain amount of matches. But at the same time counties would be playing 50 over cricket and England test cricket at the same time seems like cricket overload even for the most dedicated cricket fan .
[/quote


But could you get your head around who is allowed to coach who where and when?

[bwildered]

No , jwb .
Seems at present nobody knows, has coaches and support staff have to be released by counties who are happy to do so .
Moving away from just  city venues to others will butter up the county chairman of those non test venues .
Cannot see the ECB getting a sponsor for the 50 over competition if played at the same time and will become a sitting duck .

[jwb]

Essex,Surrey,Kent and Sussex all voting against by all accounts.

[jimmy]

Jason Roy will be disappointed.

[bwildered]

Constitutional changes made by ECB this week will inevitably lead to the franchise format being passed in April .
Vote to accept the deal guarantees 1.3 million from the ECB and not having to pay those players who participate while away . Can any county not afford to turn down the deal ?
Money talks , nothing else matters .

[Blocky]

Sussex have now bottled it.

[Postman]

The changes seem doomed to happen with or without Sussex-the change to the ECB consititution, which is necessary to allow competitions in which not all members take part (ie the City based T20) will be backed by a majority of first class counties plus all the minor counties, who will just take the cash and run, plus MCC. Chief Execs meet at Lord's today, so maybe ours will enlighten us at tomorrow's AGM.

[bwildered]

Let's not forget all yes voters will receive 1.3 million additionally to their usual allocation from ECB yearly payout .
Can anyone enlighten me how much that is ?

[Andy]

Perhaps the best thing to do is for the 'smaller clubs' to take their opportunities this season to demonstrate the need for their existence.

This whole City Franchise farce is based upon the idea that there's a need to focus the monies upon the 'usual suspects' because the rest don't produce quality players and teams. Clearly, the likes of ECCC can already demonstrate that they produce the former and need to demonstrate that they can do the latter in D1. Or am I being naïve (don't answer...)

[nat]

So apparently all eighteen counties have signed media rights deeds to enable the ECB to include the new T20 competition in the next media rights negotiations.

So Essex have sold out their membership and the wider cricket watching public.

Turkeys voting for Christmas.

[jimmy]

So apparently all eighteen counties have signed media rights deeds to enable the ECB to include the new T20 competition in the next media rights negotiations.

So Essex have sold out their membership and the wider cricket watching public.

Turkeys voting for Christmas.

It was always said that the turkeys wouldn't vote that way, guess Botham, Atherton, Willis et al will be happy tonight.
Will one of the city teams be based in Dubai, that seems to be where the ECB are moving English cricket.

[Slogger]

Well the BBC have been bigging this up - and were then quite surprised by the negtaive reaction they were getting from cricket fans  according to radio 5 earlier. Typical of the media in many ways - they don't seem to appreciate that ordinary people increasingly can see through spin, whether imparted by politicians, broadcasters, sports bodies or whoever.

 It seems to me this is a huge gamble by the ECB. Rather than building on their core audience they're going after a a new one  - the 18 million sporting families (whatever that means), not many of whon attend cricket. Anothre issue is that made up sports teams  rarely work in this country - Murdoch's attempts to introduce Rugby League franchises failed, for example. We shall see.