Is BCB’s branding myopia hurting our cricket?
This is an earnest and humble call to brand our cricket better to ensure that Bangladesh benefits fully from what cricket has to offer
Cricket has overtaken football as the most popular sport in Bangladesh due to its tremendous international success, starting with the 1996 ICC Trophy.
Yet Sir Cuthbert Gordon Greenidge, the architect behind Bangladesh Cricket's initial international successes from 1996 to 1999, was sacked shockingly in the middle of the 1999 Cricket World Cup.
The most recent example of such farewells is Alan Donald. Despite his contribution to forming the first-ever world-class pace-bowling attack for the Bangladesh team, the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) has had an unpleasant parting with him after the 2023 World Cup.
Such moves impact the brand value of Bangladesh Cricket globally, as coaching staff-management practices can deter cricketing legends from working for Bangladesh Cricket on a long- or mid-term basis (e.g. 2-3 years).
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Let's compare the Bangladesh Premier League (BPL) brand management practices to similar T20 leagues.
The Australian Big Bash is known as a league of high-octane cricket. The Pakistan Super League (PSL) is a T20 league specialising in high-quality pace-bowling. The Indian Premier League (IPL) has successfully branded itself (in the minds of target audiences) as the world's T20 league.
Such specialised positions in the minds of customer and non-customer stakeholders (known as branding a product or service) help Big Bash, IPL and PSL establish a distinct brand value among fans, sponsors, broadcasters, media partners and other customer and non-customer stakeholders.
Each of these leagues has been branded based on its key areas of strength. This unique brand positioning enables the competitive leagues to expand their market and achieve operational, commercial, and societal success in global cricket.
We must ask ourselves: What is BPL's positioning in the cricketing world? It would be better if we didn't answer this question yet because doing so will not produce the desired answer.
The potential
To make BPL a global cricket brand, consider Bangladesh cricket's strength. Undoubtedly, it is the fans. Bangladesh cricket fans are renowned for their unwavering support, both in victory and defeat and are admired by cricketing nations and commentators alike.
Bangladesh's passionate fanbase, a true strength unlike any other cricketing nation, presents a unique opportunity to brand the BPL as the "League of Fans." Unlike established leagues with historical strengths in batting, bowling or management, the BPL can leverage the unwavering support of its fans to stand out globally. However, BPL promotion currently lacks a fan-centric approach.
Strategic PR campaigns highlighting Bangladeshi fans' electrifying atmosphere and die-hard devotion in local and international media would significantly elevate BPL's brand over time.
Another branding myopia of BPL is naming its team's names. For example, how would naming a BPL team "Riders" or "Strikers" (eg Rangpur Riders or Sylhet Strikers) be relevant to promoting Bangladeshi culture instead of naming the teams, for example, "Kirtonkhola's Barisal" or "Sundarbans' Khulna"?
International commentators pronouncing local cultural and heritage names during cricket matches can be a powerful one-two punch. First, it introduces Bangladesh's rich tapestry to a global audience. Second, it creates a natural link to tourism, promoting Bangladesh as a destination where cultural treasures come alive.
By leveraging this unique strength, the BPL can distinguish itself and promote Bangladesh holistically, fostering tourism and cricket interest.
Another context of branding BPL would be promoting different local cultures, heritages, fans' emotions or foods. An alternative example of a potential cultural context could involve promoting pitha, the traditional local cakes, in the stadium during the BPL matches. These local delights can be sold at the stands for a token amount.
Similarly, promoting the fans' emotions and the heritage of each team (eg Sundarbans for Khulna, tea gardens for Sylhet) on stadiums' giant screens and through other contemporary and traditional media can be instrumental in creating a brand over time while articulating our culture and heritage to the international audience and nurturing the fans' emotions for each BPL team.
Building a distinct brand requires ditching blind imitation and embracing Bangladesh's unique cultural and ecological heritage. Developed economies demonstrate this; for example, the 2019 Cricket World Cup (hosted by England and South Africa) opening ceremony focused on fan engagement rather than extravagance.
Similarly, BCB should prioritise activities that benefit Bangladesh cricket in the long run. Lavish BPL opening ceremonies featuring Bollywood celebrities offer little value compared to year-round fan engagement events. These can be online or offline and don't require exorbitant spending.
Additionally, BPL teams should maintain fan connections beyond the season through public appearances, fostering a loyal fanbase.
During the 1980s and 90s of the last century, joining the Bangladesh Military Force was a lucrative career choice for young people in Bangladesh. In the last one and a half decades, the Bangladesh government has done a praiseworthy job, making the Bangladesh Civil Service a lucrative career that was not once as lucrative as it is today.
BCB has the potential to replicate this success. While attracting youngsters to cricket has improved, a sustainable career path remains elusive.
What security do Bangladeshi cricketers have outside the national team? Can divisional or other leagues offer a reliable career option? The popularity of the Dhaka League, once a hotbed of talent, has dwindled. A lack of a national T20 league further weakens the prospect of cricket as a viable career choice. To attract top talent, BCB must address these issues and create a robust structure for cricketers beyond the national team.
Many Bangladeshi youths are vulnerable to drugs and gangs. Sports can offer a positive alternative. The Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB), a major sporting body and corporation, has a unique opportunity. By developing cricket as a viable career path across the country (player, coach, umpire, administrator), the BCB can attract youth and steer them away from negative influences.
The ways forward
However, there's a question about the national team's coaching staff. Why do foreigners fill all positions (bowling, batting and fielding)? Could qualified Bangladeshis fill some roles, promoting local talent and potentially saving resources?
Why do we need all coaching staff members (eg bowling coach, batting coach, fielding coach or trainers) from overseas on our national team? Instead of going for the likes of Daniel Vettori as the spin bowling coach and spending a lot of foreign currency in the process, we should give local legends like Mohammad Rafique a go.
The Bangladesh Cricket Board's (BCB) recent efforts to engage local coaches are a welcome development. However, translating this intention into concrete action at the national level remains a challenge.
One potential reason could be that the BCB's value proposition is not attractive enough for top local coaches. Offering competitive contracts and a clear path for career progression within the national team structure is crucial.
The language barrier is another significant concern. Communication difficulties can hinder players from fully comprehending foreign coaches' instructions. This frustration often spills into the public domain, as seen in the controversies surrounding Chandika Hathurusingha's tenure.
Beyond language, there's a question of emotional connection. Local coaches often possess a deeper understanding of Bangladesh fans' passion for the sport. This national pride can be a powerful motivator, and a foreign coach may not always resonate with it on the same level.
The historical dominance of foreign powers might lead to an unconscious bias towards foreign expertise. It's time to shed this colonial mentality and embrace a balanced approach. The national team can benefit from a mix of local and foreign coaches, each bringing unique perspectives and skill sets.
By prioritising local talent development and offering competitive opportunities, the BCB can save resources and build a sustainable pipeline of coaches who understand the national psyche and inspire future generations of cricketers.
Let's move beyond short-sighted cricket management at all levels. Personality clashes are common in sports (think Kohli-Sharma), but the BCCI proves they don't have to cripple team performance. We need to focus on building team cohesion to overcome such challenges.
Just before the World Cup, a controversy shook our cricket team. The captain, Tamim Iqbal, retired over a supposed spat with teammate Shakib Al Hasan and returned to the fold again following our sports-loving honourable Prime Minister's intervention.
Why does our Prime Minister need to get involved in sporting affairs? Shouldn't the Cricket Board management handle such issues?
Eventually, Tamim Iqbal was kept out of the 2023 World Cup team due to an injury; however, national newspapers reported that the team's physiotherapist's report confirmed that Tamim would be physically fit before the World Cup's first game! Bangladesh eventually suffered because of such myopic management practices.
Many Bangladeshi cricket experts and general fans believe that veterans like Shakib Al Hasan, Mushfiqur Rahim, Tamim Iqbal and Mahmudullah still have the skills and fitness (to a reasonable extent) to serve the Bangladesh team for a minimum of a couple of years.
Some of these national legends have already retired from one or two formats; however, occasionally, the news we see on prominent national media indicates that they were forced to retire against their wishes!
This is a very unprofessional method of dealing with our legends. What message does it send to the next generation of cricketers?
Yes, we need to nurture future talents, but nurturing them does not mean the Bangladesh team needs to be deprived of the service of its most experienced campaigners, especially since we have yet to find the youngsters who can replace them.
Such myopic management and marketing practices hinder cricket's flourishing to its full potential as a sport and negatively impact Bangladesh cricket's commercial and societal brand value, hindering the game's enormous potential to contribute to our economy and society.
Dr Riad Shams is an Assistant Professor in Marketing and Head of the PhD Programme at the Newcastle Business School, Northumbria University, UK.
Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the opinions and views of The Business Standard.
