PCA PRESS RELEASE
Five-year deal gets green light through Heads of Agreement vote.
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The Professional Cricketers’ Association Committee has today, Friday 28 June, voted in favour of a Heads of Agreement for the County Partnership Agreement (CPA).
PCA representatives from all 18 first-class counties and the England women’s squad who form the PCA Committee voted unanimously to approve the recommended deal following a meeting in Birmingham led by PCA Chairman Daryl Mitchell and Chief Executive David Leatherdale.
Today’s agreement of a five year partnership between the PCA, the ECB and first-class counties is the culmination of 18-months of detailed negotiation.
The 2020-2024 CPA will create material improvements for professional cricketers in England and Wales. Twelve months ago the PCA outlined four non-negotiable principles that had to be attained through the CPA negotiations:
- Salary collar to rise
- Salary cap to grow
- Minimum wage to be set
- Every male and female professional player to benefit
With players consulted via PCA reps during the past 18-months, information was presented at 2019 pre-season meetings with a recommended deal distributed to all players earlier this week to outline the proposed principles.
Key points in the agreed CPA for players from 1 January 2020:
- Guaranteed five year deal
- Minimum 26.5% of ECB central revenue received by players
- Projected £5,000,000 retirement pot to be distributed to players
- Doubling of salary collar from £750,000 to £1,500,000
- Salary cap rising to £2,500,000
- New, binding minimum wage of £27,500 for full time professionals
- Formal rookie contracts introduced
- Increased accountability with PCA to receive a copy of every county contract
- Doubling of payment made to players when released or retiring from the game
- Injury period before termination of contracts doubled with new and improved insurances
- Increased allowance for personal development time
- Secured freedom of movement for overseas cricket between October and March
- Fairer HR procedures on issues such as grievances, discipline and appraisals
- £8,000,000 going to players through The Hundred
- 12.5% retained by counties to allow release for The Hundred for 12.33% of year
- Increase in revenue for Team England Player Partnership and England Women’s Player Partnership – through separate agreements
- 100 new female PCA members due to creation of a new professional structure
- PCA funding uplifted by 23%
- Funding for three new PCA Personal Development Managers
- ECB to make a significant contribution to the Professional Cricketers’ Trust
PCA Chairman, Daryl Mitchell, said:
“Today is a big moment for every current and future professional cricketer in this country. This has been a long and testing process but ultimately a very rewarding outcome.
“I made a bold statement just over a year ago that we needed to ensure every player benefits from the CPA and after constant dialogue and deliberation between stakeholders and over 70 formal meetings, I am delighted we have achieved this.
“The new retirement pot will bring a country-wide benefit to all players who will be supported through extra funding to help with their transition into a second career. David has fought particularly hard for the implementation of this and with it now agreed, the PCA Committee will decide a distribution model for the estimated £5 million that counties will contribute over the five-year period.
“This is the first time the PCA has been involved in such a negotiation and through regular dialogue with players across the country we knew what areas needed improving and we had to make counties more accountable for looking after players.
“I can confidently say there has never been a better time to be a professional cricketer and the new deal will make sure that is the case.”
DARYL MITCHELL
“This deal will not only see players directly rewarded but with future funding for the PCA in place and substantial donations to be made to the Professional Cricketers’ Trust for the first time, the welfare of players will be protected. Through a collaborative approach, we have also secured the PCA’s place as a key decision maker in the future of the professional game of cricket in England and Wales.
“There is still a lot of work to be done but I can confidently say there has never been a better time to be a professional cricketer and the new deal will make sure that is the case.”
PCA Chief Executive, David Leatherdale, said:
“The game of cricket is entering a new and exciting phase for cricketers in England and Wales. The new broadcast money coming into the sport from 2020 is going to make huge contributions throughout the game so we are thankful to Sky and the BBC for their continued commitment.
“This collective agreement is a first for the PCA and we had to ensure players are at the front and centre of the ECB’s and the counties considerations so they are not only financially rewarded but treated with the respect they deserve.
“This historic deal creates a reinvigorated approach to playing cricket professionally which will see players rewarded through their careers like never before.
"We know the first two years after retirement is an incredibly difficult time so the new retirement pot will bridge a gap to help the transition into a second career.”
DAVID LEATHERDALE
“Young players coming into the game will have the best ever chance to be successful with minimum guarantees while improved policies around welfare issues as well as the rise in salary caps and collars will benefit all. We know the first two years after retirement is an incredibly difficult time so the new retirement pot will bridge a gap to help the transition into a second career.
“There has been strong pushback on a number of these areas but through a collaborative approach, the PCA Committee is delighted at the agreement which will see every single professional player thrive over the next five years and beyond.
“One of the most exciting successes is the PCA gaining 100 extra members through the women’s game. The players who participate in the eight new ‘Hundred’ teams will be represented by the PCA as the women’s game continues to evolve in the professional era.
“In terms of the England men’s and women’s deals which have been negotiated alongside the CPA through the Team England Player Partnership and England Women’s Player Partnership, these deals are also close to being agreed which will ensure representing your country has never been more rewarding.”
