There is tension over money between PCB and PSL franchises. The PCB has sent legal notices for the dues, while the franchises are also claiming dues worth crores to the board. The crisis has deepened due to withholding of Rs 450 crore by a broadcaster.
Lahore: The tension over money has increased between the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) and the Pakistan Super League (PSL) franchises. PCB has started taking strict steps to recover dues worth crores of rupees from franchisees, broadcast partners and other commercial associates. The board has sent legal notices to many stakeholders warning them to pay the dues as soon as possible.
The board has clearly said that if the money is not paid then strict action like cancellation of the contract will be taken. According to reports, after receiving the notice, some PSL franchises have paid their annual fees. However, the franchise also has its own side. He says that even though he has to pay money to the board, he also owes crores of rupees to the PCB. The franchisees allege that the board is not paying its share of the revenue from the central pool on time. According to a franchise report, around Rs 96 crore is still to be received from PSL. Apart from this, the board has to give Rs 40 to 45 crores to each franchise as part of the 2025 financial year.
Big crisis in broadcasting too
The biggest challenge for PCB is coming from the broadcasting sector. A big media company holding the broadcasting rights of PSL and international matches has stopped payment of about Rs 450 crore. The company has cited financial losses behind this. Due to this, the financial audit and daily functioning of the board is being adversely affected.
Contracts are complicated
The matter became more complicated when the broadcast rights of PSL 11 were bought by a new company of the owner of the Rawalpindi franchise. But this company again sold the rights to the same old defaulter company, due to which the money transaction has become even more complicated. However, in the meanwhile some franchises like Multan Sultans have paid off all their liabilities, which is a matter of some relief for the board. But giving minimum guarantee amount to these franchises in the coming seasons will be a big challenge for the PCB.