The Business of Cricket by cricexec

USA Cricket CEO Johnathan Atkeison sat down with cricexec earlier this week for an in-depth interview on one of the most contentious governance debates in the organization’s history.In a detailed 50-minute conversation, Atkeison walked through the rationale behind a set of constitutional amendments recently passed by USA Cricket’s membership—changes that sparked heated debate within the U.S. cricket community and an ongoing lawsuit against the board.The interview comes days after USA Cricket confirmed that members had approved the new amendments, which are designed to align the organization with U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Committee (USOPC) governance standards—a critical step in USA Cricket’s bid to obtain official National Governing Body (NGB) status in time for cricket’s debut at the LA 2028 Olympics.ABOUT CRICEXECCricket’s only trade publication. We cover the industry off the field -- the people, organizations, and deals that drive the sport.To read the latest industry news: https://www.cricexec.comSubscribe to us on YouTube to get more great content!Follow us on all other social platforms: @cricexecSubscribe to our free "daily briefing" newsletter, delivered every weekday and read by top executives throughout the industry: https://www.cricexec.com/subscribe/

In today's episode of Business of Cricket Podcast, Zee sits down with Andrew Breetzke, CEO of the South African Cricketers' Association (SACA) and Board Member of the World Cricketers' Association, to discuss a major controversy in the Bangladesh Premier League (BPL) regarding late or missing player payments. Andrew highlights the broader risks threatening franchise leagues worldwide—corruption and financial instability—and explains how due diligence, player associations, and governance can help address these issues.The conversation delves into the rapid rise of franchise leagues, the financial sustainability of the cricket economy, and the ICC’s role (or lack thereof) in regulating the global cricket calendar. With insights on the SA20’s success and the challenges facing smaller cricket boards, this is a must-watch discussion for anyone interested in the future of the game.ABOUT CRICEXECCricket’s only trade publication. We cover the industry off the field -- the people, organizations, and deals that drive the sport.To read the latest industry news: https://www.cricexec.comSubscribe to us on YouTube to get more great content!Follow us on all other social platforms: @cricexecSubscribe to our free "daily briefing" newsletter, delivered every weekday and read by top executives throughout the industry: https://www.cricexec.com/subscribe/

Shane Watson is on a mission to change how the cricket world thinks – by revealing the secrets to his success.He was one of the most technically skilled all-rounders of all time, but when he was on the verge of retiring, he discovered an approach to the mental side of playing which revolutionized his game.Over the next four years, thanks to these new skills, Shane had some of the best performances of his life – including his legendary undefeated 117 off 57 in the 2018 IPL final to win it for CSK.Since retiring, Shane has been sharing this mental skills approach with some of the sport’s biggest stars as the current head coach for the MLC’s San Francisco Unicorns and the PSL’s Quetta Gladiators.But now Shane is sharing his performance secrets with the whole world.He published a book called the Winners’ Mindset [as well as an online course] that details his approach and also helps readers apply his simple frameworks to turbocharge their own performances.The world’s best cricketers swear by it – including Faf Duplessis, Rachin Ravindra, and Ricky Ponting among many othersAnd Shane also just released the Winners’ Mindset online course on his website, shanewatson.au – an interactive multimedia experience that enables users to easily learn and use these mental skills to elevate their own games.Shane joined our business of cricket podcast to talk about his career, mental skills, and a whole lot more.ABOUT CRICEXECCricket’s only trade publication. We cover the industry off the field -- the people, organizations, and deals that drive the sport.To read the latest industry news: https://www.cricexec.comSubscribe to us on YouTube to get more great content!Follow us on all other social platforms: @cricexecSubscribe to our free "daily briefing" newsletter, delivered every weekday and read by top executives throughout the industry: https://www.cricexec.com/subscribe/

Our special guest this episode is Dilip Vengsarkar – an Indian cricket legend in all aspects of the sport. As a player, he was a central member of India’s fairy tale 1983 World Cup winning squad.He was one of Wisden’s Cricketers of the Year in 1987 and that year also became India’s captain.After retiring he became an administrator and was BCCI’s Chairman of Selectors when India won the first T20 World Cup in 2007.  He also runs multiple academies where he’s constantly finding and training the stars of the future. This titan of cricket sat down with us at the NCL tournament in Dallas, and shared his thoughts on what makes a good selector, his storied career, and so much more.ABOUT CRICEXECCricket’s only trade publication. We cover the industry off the field -- the people, organizations, and deals that drive the sport.To read the latest industry news: https://www.cricexec.comSubscribe to us on YouTube to get more great content!Follow us on all other social platforms: @cricexecSubscribe to our free "daily briefing" newsletter, delivered every weekday and read by top executives throughout the industry: https://www.cricexec.com/subscribe/

America’s Major League Cricket has exploded onto the global cricket scene. And one of its most fascinating franchises is the San Francisco Unicorns.Led by Head Coach Shane Watson and a star-studded squad including Pat Cummins, Haris Rauf and Finn Allen, they were the runners-up in the 2024 tournament. They’ve also created a unique brand and culture. On this episode we’re joined by the team’s co-owners, Anand Rajaraman and Venky Harinarayan – two incredibly successful Silicon Valley entrepreneurs, lifelong business partners, and cricket fans who decided to embark on a sports adventure.They share insights with us on their approach to ownership including, giving Shane Watson his first ever coaching gig,Their data driven approach to building the team,The Unicorns’ unique name and branding,And their special partnership with Cricket Victoria in Australia,And so much more. ABOUT CRICEXECCricket’s only trade publication. We cover the industry off the field -- the people, organizations, and deals that drive the sport.To read the latest industry news: https://www.cricexec.comSubscribe to us on YouTube to get more great content!Follow us on all other social platforms: @cricexecSubscribe to our free "daily briefing" newsletter, delivered every weekday and read by top executives throughout the industry: https://www.cricexec.com/subscribe/