ECB set to exceed government target for investment in grassroots cricket

ECB today announced that it will exceed the government’s voluntary target for spending on grassroots development which proposes that National Governing Bodies spend 30 per cent of their UK broadcasting revenue on the recreational game.

ECB has committed to spend an additional £17.5 million on grassroots and recreational cricket under the current cycle of UK broadcasting agreements (2010-2013) compared to the previous period from 2006-2009 and thus will exceed the 30 per cent voluntary target.

During the past year ECB invested a record £23 million ( 2010 – £18m ) in grassroots investment which complimented the £6m invested by the government in revenue funding.

ECB Chief Executive David Collier said: “As a governing body, we are committed to re-investing the revenue we receive from the sale of broadcast rights into the development of the game at grass-roots level in addition to the investment we make in county and international cricket.

“We are fortunate to have recently secured long-term funding for all sectors of the game following the renewal of our broadcasting agreements which in some cases extend through to 2019.

“This income will help develop future generations of club and county cricketers and enable us to sustain the success enjoyed by both our England Men’s and Women’s teams in recent years. “