Almost every stakeholder in the region and farther afield came out in support of the Limacol Caribbean Premier League (CPL). From current and past players to commentators, government officials, corporate sponsors, Hollywood actors and many more hailed the tournament as a massive success.
Limacol CPL Chief Executive Officer Damien O’Donohoe was quoted as saying, “We have exceeded every benchmark we set for the Limacol CPL when we embarked on this project… by every measure there is no doubt it has been a massive success.”
It was evident that Caribbean people were beginning to lose interest in cricket mainly because of the dismal performance of the West Indies team over the years. Now the Limacol CPL has sparked a renewed interest as persons all over the region, even those who were not avid cricket fans, are talking about the game. That is the kind of impact the Limacol CPL has had on the Caribbean and it would be to our own disadvantage if the authorities, meaning those responsible for the governance of cricket, did not take full advantage and capitalise on the many opportunities that have now been presented.
Chairman of Verus International and founder of the Limacol CPL, Ajmal Khan said: “When we set out on this journey, we asked everyone involved to come and play – and that is exactly what has happened…. We wanted the Limacol CPL to be the biggest party in sport and there is no doubt we have achieved it.”
There was also massive commercial support for the tournament which this region has never seen for any sporting event. It was disclosed that even before a ball was bowled, 37 commercial partners were on board, including nine league sponsors, an apparel partner and sponsors for each of the six franchises, as well as four national tourism boards supporting the event.
Several high-profile individuals from the worlds of entertainment and business also got involved and threw their weight behind the league, with Hollywood actors Mark Wahlberg and Gerard Butler taking equity shares in the Barbados Tridents and Jamaica Tallawahs, respectively, while Sir Richard Branson’s Virgin Group backed the Antigua Hawksbills. Guyana’s leading pharmaceutical giant, NEW GPC supported the Guyana Amazon Warriors and has since pledged its long-term commitment to sport development in Guyana and the region as a whole.
The tournament has had a global audience for the games through outstanding broadcast coverage on television and radio, in addition to a significant presence on social media through Facebook, Twitter and YouTube.
President of the West Indies Cricket Board (WICB) Whycliffe “Dave” Cameron said the WICB signed an agreement with Limacol CPL with the goal of further developing and strengthening West Indies cricket by expanding the global fan base as well as increasing the number of West Indian cricketers under regional retainer contracts, and showcasing the talent and beauty of the Caribbean internationally.
The league has provided the opportunity for new talent to emerge. As was mentioned by Cameron, players like young Nicholas Pooran (Trinidad & Tobago Red Steel) and the likes of Rayad Emrit (Barbados Tridents); Sheldon Cotterell (Antigua Hawksbills); and Steven Jacobs (Guyana Amazon Warriors) to name a few, that may have flown under the radar or been overshadowed by the bigger names in the region, have now been given their time to shine, and they indeed took advantage of that opportunity.
Certainly, Limacol CPL has opened many doors for these young athletes to achieve their dreams by competing all over the world. The Limacol CPL has shown both the West Indian public’s enduring love for cricket and the endless potential for growth and success that there is in the region. However, as pointed out by O’Donohoe and Khan, while the result has exceeded all expectations, the task ahead is to build on what was achieved this year to ensure the Limacol CPL goes from strength to strength and that it becomes even bigger and better in the years to come.
