From 'Big Three' to 'Big One': BCCI projected to earn nearly 40% share of ICC's earnings

The ICC's new revenue-distribution model is destined to reaffirm the BCCI as the only big player in the game, with the Indian board expected to pocket nearly 40% of the ICC's net surplus earnings from the next four-year commercial cycle. The new model, which is now in the proposal stage and as reported by ESPNcricinfo, relies on much of the thinking that prompted the short-lived Big Three takeover in 2014, but in terms of take-home earnings, it is more the Big One.

Between 2024 and 2027, the BCCI is expected to receive around $230 million per year or 38.5% of the ICC's yearly earnings of $600 million.

In this proposed scenario, the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) might gain $41.33 million, or 6.89% of the ICC's earnings. Cricket Australia (CA), the third of the original Big Three, is up next and stands to get $37.53 million (6.25%). According to ESPNcricinfo, the PCB is the only other board among the remaining nine Full Members that is expected to make more than $30 million (5.75%). 

The earnings of the remaining eight Full Members are below 5%.

The Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) is projected to earn $26.74 million, or 4.46% of ICC's earnings. 

The overall annual amount is based on the ICC's expected earnings - over $3.2 billion - from the sale of its media rights alone, which were recently sold across five separate worldwide areas, including the Indian market, for the first time.

ESPNcricinfo reported that the proposed model was developed originally by an ICC team and then worked on by the governing body's finance and commercial affairs (F&CA) committee, before being discussed by the ICC Board this March.

Four criteria - Cricket history, Performance in both men's and women's ICC events over the last 16 years, Contribution to the ICC's commercial revenue, An equal weightage for the status of being a Full Member - were "component weightings" behind the projection.

The historical component gives all Full Members an equal percentage share of 6.9%, other than Zimbabwe, Ireland and Afghanistan.

The BCCI has consistently argued that it deserves greater returns from the ICC's revenues because of the contribution India makes to cricket's global economy. The distribution costs was the backbone of the Big Three's finance model, as recognition of every member's role in "contributing to generating ICC's revenues required to sustain the game".

This year's proposed model gives a commercial weightage of 85.3% to the BCCI.