PCB Officials Set to Make Final Call on PSL’s Director Position

The Pakistan Super League (PSL) is set to go public as the PCB’s chairmen are ready to take their final call on appointing a director for Pakistan’s premier T20 competition. The board has been negotiating with a number of consultants, legal firms, and other stakeholders in an attempt to appoint a director who can run the PSL independently of the board. A primary reason for this is the existing conflict of interest between the chairman and secretary of cricket and operations, which restricts their involvement in other cricketing events. If everything goes as per schedule, it is likely that a new director will be appointed within two weeks’ time.

Details of Conflict of Interest

The issue of conflict of interest revolves around the chairman and the secretary of cricket and operations. Currently, the board of directors is made up of the chairman, the two secretaries, three directors, and the CEO. The chairman, secretary, and two directors are appointed by the board of governors and the rest three directors are appointed by the board. The conflict of interest arises after the incident when the three foreign players, who were contracted by the PSL, were allowed to join the national team. The conflict of interest is only limited to the PSLB as the board of directors, the CEO, and the managers are not involved in the conflict of interest.

Director’s Responsibilities

The new director will be responsible for overseeing all operational aspects of the PSL. This includes, but is not limited to, contract negotiation and renewal, marketing and sponsorship rights, broadcasting rights, scheduling and distribution of revenues, match-day operations, and logistics, among others. The director will also be responsible for appointing the team owners and management of the PSL, which will include the chief executive officer (CEO), chief operating officer (COO), and team owners. The director will be a representative of the board to negotiate with the government on behalf of the PSL. The director will have to negotiate with the government on the PSL’s behalf while also taking the board’s opinion and making the final decision on PSL’s behalf. The director can appoint team owners and team management members. However, it is the board’s final decision to decide on the team owners and management.

Why is the PCB Looking for a New Director?

The PCB has been looking for a director since January 2018. A number of factors led to this. First, the chairman, who is also the lead director and secretary of cricket, has been appointed as the chairman of the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB). This meant that he had to leave the PSL. Second, the PCB was unable to obtain permission from the government to run the PSL independently. The government was reluctant to allow any sort of cricketing event to be held with government funding. Third, the PCB was facing issues with the National Transmission and Telecom Company (NTTC) and the Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (EMRA) as both the bodies have been not been cooperative in putting cricket on the air.

Tender Process Underway

After the PCB appointed consultants to look into the feasibility of the director’s job, the PCB’s legal team started working on the tender process. The legal team, led by adviser Ali-Muhammad Khan, held a number of meetings with interested consultants. During this time, they also received a number of tenders from consultants. The board’s legal team is now looking into each tender as it is evaluating the consultants’ experience and work experience. The legal team is also evaluating the consultants’ terms and conditions. At the same time, the PCB’s legal team is also working on the timeline for appointing a director.

Who are the Consultants Involved in the Process?

The PCB’s legal team has a list of potential candidates who are under consideration for the job. The PCB’s legal team is currently evaluating the candidates based on the following criteria. The candidate should have a minimum of 10 years of experience in the highest offices of a multinational corporation, financial institution, or government. The candidate should have experience in running the PSL or running any kind of T20 league or tournament. The candidate should also have experience in running a media rights deal and in dealing with government bodies on media rights. The candidate should also have experience in cricket administration, marketing, and commercial management. The candidate should also have experience in running a professional business. The candidate should also have experience in media buying and media management. The candidate should have experience in buying television advertising slots and in buying media slots for radio and digital media. The candidate should also have experience in buying sponsorships and in negotiating sponsorship deals.

Conclusion

The PCB’s search for a director is nearing an end. The PCB’s legal team is working on the tender process and the board’s legal team is evaluating the tenders. The candidates are being checked on the following criteria: experience, terms and conditions, and experience in running the PSL. Once the board’s legal team has finalized the criteria and the candidates, they will announce the names. Within a week’s time, the board will be appointing a director. Once the director is appointed, the board will also be appointing the team owners and team management members.