LONDON: The England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) announced on Wednesday that it is increasing match fees for the women’s team to bring them in line with the men’s side match fees with immediate effect.
It means that the parity in match fees will take effect from England women’s upcoming white-ball home series against Sri Lanka. England also becomes the fourth cricketing nation after New Zealand, India and South Africa to equalise the match fees for its international men’s and women’s teams.
“The direction of travel for the women’s game has always been the most important thing, creating a sustainable product that people want to watch and play, and I’m sure this will make cricket an increasingly attractive sport to girls and young women as we continue to grow the game.”
“It’s really important that we continue to drive the women’s game forward and it’s fantastic to see equal match fees for England Women and England Men. I would also like to thank the PCA and England Women’s Player Part-nership for their support in representing the players and the growth of the professional game,” said England skipper Heather Knight on the landmark move.
This development comes on the back of record-breaking crowds of 110,000 at this summer’s Women’s Ashes series in June and July. England set new women’s international attendance records at Edgbaston, the Kia Oval and Lord’s and sold out matches at Taunton, Bristol and Hampshire in their series against Australia, with Heather pro-claiming the series as “the best there’s ever been in the history of the women’s game”.
ECB added that the additional investment follows increases to domestic salary pots this year and salaries for women’s players in The Hundred more than doubling last year. With increased earning opportunities in competi-tions around the world, the sport currently offers some of the best earning opportunities among female team sports.
“This summer’s thrilling Metro Bank Women’s Ashes series demonstrated how women’s cricket is continuing to grow at pace in this country, with record attendances and TV viewing. Growing the women’s and girls’ game is a key priority for us, and in recent years we have considerably increased investment both in building a domestic women’s structure to produce the players of the future, and in increasing player rewards.”
“In the years ahead, we will continue to invest ahead of revenues. We are currently considering all the recom-mendations made by the Independent Commission for Equity in Cricket, but equalising match fees is one immedi-ate step we are pleased to make now,” said Richard Gould, ECB Chief Executive Officer.
He added that ECB will continue to make strides in bringing equality in cricket in the country. “We all want cricket to be the team sport of choice for female athletes, and with the investments we are making - and increasing-ly lucrative opportunities around the world - we are seeing cricketers become some of the highest earning female athletes in UK team sports.”
“However, we know there is still much further to go as we ultimately strive for equality across the game. As we continue to grow women’s cricket, we will continue to focus on making considered investments that stretch far-and-wide across the women’s cricket structures, delivering a thriving, profitable and future-proofed game.” IANS
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