Is cricket becoming more like football?

Question

In terms of the money in the game?

Sri Lanka's players, following a dispute with their board over a tour of England in 2009 clashing with the lucrative IPL, will be allowed to put the IPL ahead of the England tour:

http://content-uk.cricinfo.com/srilanka/content/current/story/360568.html

Now, I can understand the players point of view. In the IPL they can gain financial rewards previously undreamed of.

But: In football we see players being 'bought' and 'sold' for their 'services' for ridiculous amounts of money. In fact, some of the figures are downright obscene.

Is cricket going the same way?

Answer 1

Yes, cricket is becoming a lot more like Football with the IPL around. Footballers are known to care about money only and soon it will be the same with the cricketers!! Look at David Beckham for example, he went to LA Galaxy because of the money!! It looks like to me that the players will do anything for money even not play for their own country!!

Answer 2

it will take many years for cricket to become like football.

Answer 3

It will take a long time to reach the same obscene pay awards that footballers recieve but yes I expect 10 years down the road the pay will be the same.

Answer 4

Sadly nowadays money is taking a huge part of sport. Sports are now being played for money. In the good old days port was played for fun but now there is a different reason... $money$. Sportsman didn't even get that much money from sport back then but now it's a different story. Cricket now means money. Take for example the IPL. First the players were bought, some exceeding $1,000,000 USD. Then they were the winning prizes. The first prize was $1,200,000 USD then for the runner-up it was $600,000 USD and so on and so forth.

Now Sport = $ and we can't change it. Cricket like every other sport is becoming or has become like football.

Answer 5

All i will say about the pay is that it is the entertainment industry, and like the top singers and music starts, or the top movie stars - the top sports people will earn an equivalent to that, they just earn it weekly where as the others earn it per album and film in lump sums.

They entertain just as many people a year if not more for me and have to do more for it.

Answer 6

It should be the ultimate honour to play for your country. Anyone who wants to put the IPL before this is just greedy. I understand why they would want to do this, but I do not think it is the right choice.

And I hope cricket does not go the same way as football, for the sake of the test match which I think would cease to exist if cricket goes the same way as football.

Answer 7

Yes, after the IPL introduction, the franchises & stuff has quite made an impact over the game because as you gave the example of Sri Lanka, players are in dispute with their cricket board over the issue & telling them to delay the Enland tour. So yeah thats right.

Answer 8

I think eventually it will have to go the same way. It may not actually reach the lofty heights of footballers, however the pay that our international cricketers receive is going to increase dramatically.

I do read with interest the words you use "downright obscene". Why is it obscene? It is only obscene to those who are not receiving it. I am sure the players themselves see it as obscene that you see the income they are earning for a limited time to set up their family's future as obscene. You see, it is all about a point of view. I do not see such incomes as obscene, I see it as players being smart enough to utilise their talent to secure their financial futures.

EDIT: Oh, yes the old is a doctor worth more than a footballer/athlete/entertainer question. Well actually both yes and no. You see a top athlete brings joy to millions of people in an instant. A doctor or nurse whilst the physical work they do is of far more importance than kicking a ball into a net, gives instant gratification to a few. Now it is true that once in a while a doctor will make a breakthrough discovery that will save the lives millions if not billions people around the world. but these are very few and far in between. However, it is a sad fact of society that people crave instant gratification. So therefore the amounts that are paid are in proportion to number of people you help. Sport is a release for people and therefore adds value to their life in ways that doctors cannot. Most doctors, whilst vital, are reactive, sports people are proactive and are actually the opposite to a doctor.

Answer 9

yes!anyway great question

Answer 10

no,it is taking a differant shape. Cricketers are going to play for money not for the country

Answer 11

I see.

Your last question, I feel nurses in our society are highly undervalued.

They make OK money here.

Answer 12

no i dont think so

Answer 13

....not soon...