The sporting world including cricket has come to an indefinite pause due to the COVID-19 Pandemic. To remove this indefinite pause Australian Prime minister Scott Morrison had said that the Government is looking at an option to resume the sporting activities.
The Australian Government might make travel exemptions for the Indian team’s tour which is scheduled later this year to save the Cricket board from a 300 million Australian Dollars in the wake of COVID-19 Pandemic. Cricket Australia is under huge financial problems due to the global lockdown and has laid off 80 percent of its staff as a measure to get financial relief. India’s test tour which is planned in December-January can provide relief to the Cricket Australia. As of now, Australia’s borders are sealed till 30 September but there could be an extension of travel sanctions.
According to a media report “International exemptions to allow an India touring party to arrive in Australia in next summer would be considered by the federal government in the view of wider travel bans, strongly suggesting that Cricket Australia will be able to avoid losing up to AUD 300 million revenue due to the Coronavirus Pandemic”. The report revealed that CA has received a positive response from its government.
“ The governing body has received encouraging news about their outlook in terms of lucrative India tour”, Cricket Australia was expecting a whopping AUD 500 million revenue from this financial cycle from the broadcast rights. Even if the audience is not allowed in the stadium and cricket becomes a TV-only event then the CA will lose AUD 50 million. But if India fails to tour Australia then the loss will be gigantic in proportion.
“Such a scenario would leave CA with a hole of around AUD 50 million in its annual revenue of AUD 500 million. Australia Prime minister Scott Morrison on Friday had said that his government is looking at all options as far as resumprtion of sporting activities is concerned.
“What is a safe way to be able to do that and to get consistency across all the states and territories”, Morrison added. “That was supported by all the states and territories having something along those lines would be very helpful for us”.
