Global Overview

SATURDAY 7 June, Morning

A look at the financial and structural issues in the game today. Following a welcome from MCC President Lord King and opening remarks from ICC Chair Jay Shah, Boston Consulting Group will provide an objective view of the current financial realities of cricket and a glimpse into what the future may hold. World Cricketers’ Association will then present highlights of their recent report on the structure of the sport, giving the views of arguably the most important stakeholders – the players. Our first panel will then discuss these topics and more

Boston Consulting Group: Rohan Sajdeh, Vipin Gupta
World Cricketers’ Association: Tom Moffat (CEO, World Cricketers’ Association), Paul Marsh (CEO, Australian Cricketers' Association)
Panellists: Mel Jones (former Australia player),
Kumar Sangakkara (former Sri Lanka captain), Heath Mills (Executive Chair, World Cricketers’ Association), Johnny Grave (CEO, Major League Cricket)

Is Cricket Cool?

SATURDAY 7 June, Afternoon

The worlds of media, sport and entertainment are constantly evolving, with the pace of change – driven by technology – accelerating all the time. This section will look at what this means for the fans. How can cricket keep up with and embrace rapidly evolving technology? How can we present the game in the most attractive manner to captivate younger fans? What can we learn from other entertainment properties and what are the growth opportunities that cricket’s stakeholders need to target?

Interview: Satyan Gajwani (Vice Chairman, Times Internet)
Panellists: Mallika Petkar (Head – Strategy & BD, JioStar), Adam Collins (Journalist & Broadcaster), Andrew Leonard (Journalist & Broadcaster)

Franchise Cricket

SUNDAY 8 JUNE, Morning

Since the inception of the IPL in 2008, franchise cricket has become an increasingly dominant force. Every major cricketing country, plus several emerging nations, now host T20 leagues, and player earning opportunities have never been greater. However, the growth in franchise leagues has created scheduling and player workload challenges, and there are question marks over the long-term sustainability of some leagues. This section will look at all these issues and more. 

Speaker: Ed Smith (MCC President Designate)
Contributors: Graeme Smith (Commissioner, SA20), David White (CEO, ILT20), Vikram Banerjee (Managing Director, The Hundred), Kane Williamson (New Zealand player), Neil Maxwell (Managing Director, Maximum Group), Imtiaz Patel (Chair, MultiChoice), Sourav Ganguly (former India captain), Lisa Sthalekar (President of the World Cricketers’ Association)

Women’s Cricket

SUNDAY 8 JUNE, Afternoon

Much progress has been made in women’s cricket over the last decade, with the surge in popularity of ICC global events, the development of new franchise leagues and advancements in pay parity for female cricketers. In many countries there has been a rise in female participation, and cricket’s inclusion in the Olympics offers further growth opportunities. But women’s cricket still has a long way to go, in its governance in certain markets, the treatment of women’s players and the scheduling of international and domestic tournaments. There are learnings women’s cricket can take from other sports in terms of creating heroes, marketing major moments and creating a more global game – all of which can potentially differentiate women’s cricket from the men’s game. 

Speakers & panellists: Mel Jones (Former Australia player), Ellyse Perry (Australia player), Heather Knight (England player), Sana Mir (former Pakistan player) and Alistair Dobson (Executive General Manager, Big Bash Leagues)