Cameron positive about WICB rebranding, commercialisation

Head of the West Indies Cricket Board (WICB), Dave Cameron, is hoping that the creation of a new commercial entity for the regional body will over time transform its economic fortunes.

The entity, which, according to Cameron, is to be filled with suitable and qualified individuals, will, among other things, seek to implement income-generating activities, including the acquisition of sponsorships and the striking of television broadcast deals.

"We have just created a new commercial arm of the WICB and have hired Pitch International," says Cameron.

"The real aim of this is to ensure that we move away from the sociopolitical issues we have at the WICB and have a company that is fully geared at commercialising West Indies cricket."

He added: "We have also changed the name of the WICB - again, too much (negative) history, and baggage - to Cricket West Indies."

Cricket West Indies, Cameron said, is to largely focus on governance and management-related issues.

The organisation's commercial arm, Cameron highlighted, will be similar to that of the International Cricket Council (ICC) which, in recent years, instituted the ICC Business Corporation to carry out its corporate functions.

The Jamaican business executive, in expressing confidence about the new ventures, also said that the compilation and duties of the commercial entity will be revealed shortly.

"We will not release the names at the moment, but I am sure you will hear very, very soon," he said.

Meanwhile, reporting on the financial state of the WICB, Cameron said the organisation, for the first time in a while, has realised a US$3.5m surplus, and the hope is that this trend will continue.

"As of September 30, 2015, the WICB has recorded a surplus in excess of three-and-a-half million US dollars, unaudited," he said.

"This is the first time, I can remember, that we have ever done that."