The West Indies had just won the 2012 T20 World Cup when the first sparks of an exclusive Caribbean-based cricket competition were lit. Everything was there – massive global names (Gayle, Bravo, Pollard, Sammy, Samuels, Narine); new stadiums across the region from the 2007 World Cup; territories eager to capitalize on sports tourism; and as always, the fans who were ready to party.
CPL, the league’s acronym, morphed into a brilliant marketing slogan – “Cricket Played Harder”, instantly capturing the organizers’ intention to capitalize on the festive spirit of the Caribbean and the explosiveness of the T20 format.
“We knew that if we used everything that makes the Caribbean so unique, we could create something very special,” explains CPL CEO Pete Russell. “We wanted to tap into Caribbean culture and create a tournament that resonated locally and was viewed globally – but not just for cricket.”
It is fair to say that these targets have been exceeded. The CPL is now a staple of the Caribbean calendar – the only major annual event in and for the region, attracting 500 million viewers worldwide and where franchise tribalism has replaced island patriotism.
Fans in one territory become passionate about a team based in another simply because their favorite players have moved there to play. Equally, home-based fans welcome players from other islands – and players from outside the region – wearing their colours. These fans echo the ultra-competitive play on the pitch and a packed stadium is a daunting prospect for any visiting team.
Every year, fans eagerly await the draft, ready to begin breaking down squads and analyzing player form with all the authority of a Caribbean head coach. As Dwayne Bravo says, “We as a people are not shy about letting players know how we feel about their performance.”
Those same players have gained more from the event’s continued progress and its ability to attract the world’s best players, explains CPL commentator Daren Ganga. “The West Indian cricketers, both capped and uncapped, are the main beneficiaries of this magnificent tournament,” he says. “CPL provides a platform that allows top T20 players to interact with many aspirants. Since the inaugural tour in 2013, there has been a massive transfer of cricket-related knowledge, growth, access, global exposure, networking, leadership and ambitions created.”
This is crucial for the future of West Indies T20 cricket and a key opportunity to place young Caribbean players in the CPL showcase, to eventually participate in other franchise tournaments across the globe.
Ganga gives the evidence (and a wonderful metaphor): “I reflect on players like Nicholas Pooran who – at 17 – played his first CPL and remains the youngest ever to take part. Shimron Hetmyer – after winning the 2016 ICC U-19 World Cup as West Indies captain – joined the CPL. These two players are now the envy of the world as they have blossomed to become some of the most sought after in T20 cricket. Others like Obed McCoy, Dominic Drakes, Romario Shepherd and Odean Smith are already on an upward trajectory after being nurtured through the umbilical cord of T20 cricket in the Caribbean – the CPL.
After all, along with the talent on the field, the CPL experience is all about the fans and the parties in the stands, the flags waving and the explosion of joyous noise – music, trumpets, drums and voices of cheers. This kind of entertainment has always been unique to Caribbean cricket and the CPL created a space for it to flourish.
Then the Covid-19 pandemic hit, with all its uncertainty. The cacophony and excitement of the CPL should have been the last thing on people’s minds, but the tournament saw its role to lift spirits as more important than ever. Although it was a difficult task to undertake, the CPL organized tournaments even as its Caribbean hosts went in and out of lockouts.
“In 2020, it was at the absolute height of the pandemic,” Russell recalls. “If you can imagine the challenge of getting over 250 people from 19 different countries into Trinidad, you will understand the magnitude of the challenge – and that was before a ball was even dropped!”
The staging of these editions of the tournament – without crowds, with players living in a bubble, with the inevitable loss of revenue and while other global sporting events were on hiatus – is testament to the strength of the CPL brand, its team and infrastructure . The 2022 edition will break new ground with the inaugural Women’s CPL, creating new exposure and benefits for talented women in the region.
Away from the razzmatazz, CPL also recognized that with its place in the region comes the need for corporate social responsibility, hence their financial support for women’s shelters, flood victims and victims of domestic violence, along with their efforts to reduce their environmental impact. It also plays an important role in selling the CPL – and the Caribbean – to the world.
The excitement of the League is delivered to viewers on air as part of a great package, with the infectious enthusiasm of commentators and fan interaction. Danny Morrison’s crazy thoughts, analysis from Ganga and other ex-players like Ian Bishop, with the quirky reporting from Alex Jordan, are the icing on the cake that help sell the whole experience to the world. And the world is buying, as evidenced by the ownership of foreign teams – including from Bollywood and Hollywood – and high-profile visits from interested parties Shah Rukh Khan and Gerard Butler.
“I know I’m biased, but if you feel it at a CPL game, the energy and passion is like nothing you experience anywhere else in the world,” says Russell. “It’s really fascinating, and ‘the biggest party in sports’ is a very fair description.”
Happy birthday, CPL. Let the party continue long.
The 2022 edition of the Caribbean Premier League runs from August 30 to September 30, with matches in Guyana, St Kitts & Nevis, St Lucia and Trinidad & Tobago
