BASSETERRE, St. Kitts - WITH St. Kitts and Nevis scheduled to host the ‘biggest party in sports’ later this year when nine of the 2014 Caribbean Premier League (CPL) matches will be played at the Warner Park Cricket Stadium, a former cricketer believes that the benefits would be lucrative for the Federation.
On March 11, CPL Chief Executive Officer Damien O’Donohoe announced that Warner Park would be the host of nine games, including the Semi-Finals and Final, in the tournament slated for July and August.
Speaking with SKNVibes Sports, former St. Kitts, Leeward and Combine Islands batsman Victor Eddy voiced his belief of how the CPL could benefit the Federation.
“The financial benefits will be great for the Federation because the CPL goes beyond St. Kitts and Nevis. It goes to the international cricketing world and all cricketing nations.”
Eddy is of the view that many locals stand to benefit from the tournament when it is being played in the Federation.
“From a local standpoint, when those matches come to the Federation it will be great benefits for hotels, restaurants, taxi operators, all the various historical sites and all that we have as a tourist product.”
He commended the government of St. Kitts and Nevis as well as the Minister of Sports and all who were responsibly in making CPL a reality.
“The government of St. Kitts and Nevis must be congratulated for the outstanding investment of over four million dollars, but it is an investment that the next generation will benefit and reap the rewards.
“Also, special mention must be made of the Minister of Sports, Hon. Glen Phillip. I would personally congratulate him as well as Vernon Springer for the outstanding work they continue to do together through the Ministry of Sports. I must also congratulate everyone who was responsible for the upgrading of the Warner Park Cricket Stadium and for the CPL coming to St. Kitts and Nevis.”
Eddy also believes that the CPL could assist in attracting the strong support for cricket that the Federation once enjoyed.
“The CPL will bring back people into cricket from the perspective that they will have more time for the game with the matches playing at night. Even more so, more people will now get the opportunity to witness the shorter version of the game as it has grown commercially. Twenty20 is a drawing card just like the NBA where you can have a result in just about three hours or less.”
The former cricketer has made a call for cricket lovers to go out and support the CPL in order to ensure the Federation continues to be a part of any activity that the CPL’s management would host in the future.
“This within itself is a good mechanism through sports tourism, which is really fundamental to the Federation. I would like to encourage all cricket lovers, not only in St. Kitts and Nevis but throughout the Caribbean, to make sure you are here in St. Kitts for part of history.
“We now will have to make sure we can sustain and put on a good presentation and ensure it is not just a onetime spin off, but probably for the next five years for St. Kitts and Nevis.”
The CPL is the largest cricket tournament in the Caribbean and the 2014 season is set to bowl off on July 11 and conclude on August 16.
