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Mixed reactions from players to NZ Cricket's partnership with US Major League Cricket
Alex Chapman • April 30th, 2025 4:00 pm
Photo: Photosport
Barely any time had passed after the announcement of New Zealand Cricket’s latest venture before questions were being raised by those at the heart of it.
The players.
Last week, NZC revealed it had agreed terms with American company True North Sports Ventures (TNS) to launch a new Major League Cricket (MLC) franchise that will debut in 2027.
TNS will be headed up by MLC co-founders Sameer Mehta and Vijay Srinivasan, and have backing from the likes of the 49ers Enterprisers - an investment wing of NFL team the San Francisco 49ers.
Toronto, Atlanta and Las Vegas are among those being considered for the new team.
In what NZC said would be a “first of its kind agreement”, the national governing body will have direct investment as well as “high performance and operational support” which would include “coaching, management and support staff, as well as integrating the franchise into NZC’s domestic high-performance system.”
Some seemed encouraged by it, with players sharing on social media that it was a great step forward and celebrating that it will mean seeing more New Zealand players getting overseas opportunities and adding to their List A careers.
Speaking with Sport Nation's Mornings With Ian Smith on Tuesday, NZC boss Scott Weenink explained that “there’s a squeeze on broadcast revenue and ICC distributions which are the main sources of revenue for New Zealand Cricket and other members. And so we realised we need to diversify our revenue pool, so we started looking at opportunities such as potentially providing services to franchises overseas.”
Weenink said they felt that the MLC was the logical option for New Zealand “because the time zones are good, the time of travel is good and also it’s a growing league in the most lucrative sporting market in the world.”
He continued: “First and foremost, it’s a financial investment and financial opportunity for us. So we’ll be earning revenue by providing high performance cricket services to this franchise. So that, first and foremost, is the attraction to us. We’re diversifying revenue streams by earning some service revenues.
He continued: “First and foremost, it’s a financial investment and financial opportunity for us. So we’ll be earning revenue by providing high performance cricket services to this franchise. So that, first and foremost, is the attraction to us. We’re diversifying revenue streams by earning some service revenues.
"On top of that, there’s the opportunity to take an equity stake in the holding company that holds the rights to two franchises. One to come on board in ‘27, and one to come on board in ‘31.
"There’s the opportunity to grow capital through an equity investment and then of course there’s the opportunity it creates for our high performance staff.
“We see it as an opportunity to hopefully help at this stage, just Blackcaps, because it is a men’s tournament, to diversify their earning potential as well by playing in Major League Cricket.”
But as one player, who spoke to Sport Nation under anonymity pointed out, “why not invest in the domestic game directly?”
Other players Sport Nation has spoken to since, who also wish to remain anonymous, have pondered a similar question.
As one suggested; “it’d be good if they put that money into us domestic players and the game here", while another asked; “why an overseas league instead of us? Will there be a trickle down effect? Hmm unsure.”
Additionally, sources have suggested that there may be even more players opting out of central contracts for the 25/26 cycle, while it's likely those already on international playing agreements or casual contracts - including Kane Williamson and Devon Conway - will continue to do so.
There's also a strong likelihood some will decline central contracts in favour of flexibility to play in overseas competitions and earn greater financial benefits, though remain available for some Blackcaps series and major tournaments.
The likes of Lockie Ferguson and Finn Allen have previously made this decision, though there’s yet to be a White Fern to do so.
Weenink confirmed to Sport Nation that they’re in the process of drawing up the contract list and are scheduled to deliver it to the Players Association in the next few weeks and that they’re “not expecting anything dramatic or a dramatic number of players turning down contracts. But who knows.”
It’s also unclear how MLC participation will affect Blackcaps tours, given the current future tours programme only runs until April 2027 and Major League Cricket has historically been held in June-July, though Weenink did classify it as being during New Zealand’s “off-season”.
Several Blackcaps have already played in previous editions of MLC.
When contacted by Sport Nation on the above matters, New Zealand Cricket Players Association boss Heath Mills declined to comment.
