Cricket South Africa reports massive profit after barren spell thanks to India’s all-important, all-format tour

India wins the match during the 1st One Day International match between South Africa and India at DP World Wanderers Stadium on December 17, 2023 in Johannesburg, South Africa. (Photo by Sydney Seshibedi/Gallo Images)

By Keanan Hemmonsbey

13 Sep 2024

CSA reported total revenue nearing R2-billion in the previous financial year, thanks primarily to India touring the country.

Cricket South Africa (CSA) reported massive profits of R815-million for the 2023-2024 financial year, according to its latest integrated report.

CSA’s total revenue for the period came to R1.89-billion. This is a big increase from R700-million recorded in the previous year. South Africa also failed to turn a profit over the past two years, reporting a cumulative loss of R317-million across the prior two seasons.

According to the integrated report, CSA generated R1-billion through selling of broadcast rights, mostly because of India’s all-format tour of the country in December and January.

No global cricket federation can survive or thrive without India touring it.

Each match was worth about R150-million – so hosting the subcontinent giant is a massive boost to CSA’s coffers. It is why when scheduling a month-long incoming tour of India, CSA sets out more white-ball matches, which take less time to play, than Test matches.

Three white-ball matches can be played across four days, like India’s T20I series was when they played here in December, while a Test match takes as long as five days to complete — with CSA making three times as much for the T20I series.

Pholetsi Moseki, the CEO of Cricket South Africa. (Photo: Lefty Shivambu / Gallo Images)

“In the four-year cycle there will be two or three years where we make quite massive losses,” CSA Chief Executive Officer Pholetsi Moseki told Daily Maverick.

“But there should be at least one year where we make significant profit so it can cover us in the years where we make those losses.”

And those profit-filled years are when India tours. Luckily for CSA, India will tour the country for four T20Is in November, a welcome but rare double appearance in CSA’s four-year cycle.

“Having another India tour is going to be extremely positive because normally we have one all-format India tour in a cycle,” Moseki said.

“We’ve been fortunate to host them twice in this cycle.”

Indian dominance

According to Moseki, it’s unrealistic to expect CSA to be financially viable without incoming tours of India, despite the growth of the India-backed SA20 league – which brought in R54-million last season – as well as other forms of income such as the R566-million paid out by the International Cricket Council (ICC) over the past season.

“India is too important in the cricket ecosystem for all members, including the ICC itself,” the CEO said. “India will continue being an important touring team for all countries. To try to divorce yourself from India is not realistic for any country.

“Even the big two in Australia and England, it’s not possible (for them).

CSA, though, is attempting to avoid being wholly dependent on that. CSA’s sponsorship revenue for 2023-2024 increased to R119-million from R52-million during the previous year.

CSA also made R54-million by hosting the Under-19 Cricket World Cup, which was originally supposed to be hosted in Sri Lanka.

“What you do want is to diversify your revenue, and that’s really what we’re trying to do,” Moseki said. “The SA20, when we launched it, was one of the key initiatives that will assist us to diversify our revenue by getting more sponsorship, for example.

“There are a number of initiatives that we’re working on because what we don’t want is, when India don’t tour, then we make these losses we’ve incurred.

India win the first ODI match against South Africa at DP World Wanderers Stadium on 17 December 2023 in Johannesburg, South Africa. (Photo: Sydney Seshibedi / Gallo Images)

“The SA20 has been assisting us, but we need a few more initiatives.”

Consistently high profit margins make playing more Test match cricket in the country more viable, something CSA is aiming for when planning the next Future Tours Programme (FTP), which begins in 2027.

“It will be a target for the next FTP, but the reality is I don’t think we’ll be playing a three-match Test series against all nations,” Moseki said.

“It just won’t be like that, but there are some nations where we hope to play even more than three Tests.

“But there will definitely be more nations that we play three-match Test series against, unlike currently where it’s only England and Australia.”

Backroom shake-up

On the boardroom side, CSA chairperson Lawson Naidoo finished his three-year tenure.

His replacement will be elected at a meeting in November, according to Moseki.

“I feel a deep sense of pride and optimism for the future of cricket in South Africa,” Naidoo said.

“We are in a much healthier space than we were just a few short years ago. Credit must also be accorded to the players and team management, as well as the CEO and his staff at CSA.”

Rihan Richards was re-elected as president, while experienced national team doctor Dr Mohammed Moosajee has been elected as CSA vice-president. DM

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