The England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) has overseen the sale of stakes in the eight Hundred franchises, resulting in a collective valuation of over £975 million. The sales generated approximately £520 million, which will be distributed across the cricketing landscape in the United Kingdom. Amidst this financial success, discussions around the gender pay gap in The Hundred have been reignited.
During the recent Professional Cricketers' Association (PCA) annual general meeting, Oliver Hannon-Dalby, a bowler for Warwickshire, was confirmed as the new PCA chair, succeeding Glamorgan's James Harris. At the meeting, discussions highlighted the ongoing issue of salary disparities between male and female players in The Hundred. Notably, England captain Heather Knight expressed concern over the widening pay gap, despite increases in salary pots by around 25% for both men and women.
"The salary gap got bigger this year despite the ECB saying it would get smaller, so looking to improve that in the coming year or two will be an important thing."
This year, the lowest-earning male players will receive £31,000, while their female counterparts will earn only £10,000. Although women's salaries increased by £800,000 in 2023, the gap between top male and female players' salaries expanded from £75,000 to £135,000. Top-level male players are set to receive a 60% pay hike, bringing their salaries to £200,000.
"It's great to see the overall pot for the women has gone up but it looks bad when the disparity between the top men's and women's salaries continues to grow when it should be coming down." – Heather Knight
The ECB has acknowledged these concerns and emphasized their commitment to achieving gender parity in pay. An ECB spokesperson explained that while the men's game requires competitiveness in a global market with an increase weighted towards top-tier players, the women's salary increase must address disparities across all levels.
"We are totally committed to moving towards gender parity in salaries, but The Hundred exists in a global landscape and we have to be competitive within that." – ECB spokesperson
Somerset's new signing under the revamped system reflects ongoing changes within The Hundred's framework. The ECB's strategic move towards private investment aims to benefit the entire game and accelerate progress toward equal pay.
"We are excited about private investment benefitting the whole game and helping us accelerate our journey towards gender parity for pay in The Hundred." – ECB spokesperson
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