PSL X Earnings Revealed as Franchises Cash In on Central Pool Windfall

The Pakistan Cricket Board’s claims of PSL X being the biggest and best season of the country’s premier T20 tournament are expected to be challenged once more, after the complete finances from the event have come to the fore.

While the tenth season of the PSL was a financial success for most teams, it was not without familiar issues.

According to a report by senior sports journalist Saleem Khaliq, each franchise is expected to receive Rs. 97 crore (Rs. 970 million) from the central pool. This is the money earned from broadcasting rights, sponsorships, and other league-wide deals, and does not account for individual franchise commercial partnerships.

However, this amount does not include expenses like player salaries, travel, and accommodation. Once those costs are deducted, most teams are still expected to turn a profit, except for Multan Sultans. PSL X’s bottom dwellers reportedly pay over Rs. 1 billion in annual fees, which means they’re likely to face losses again this season. These losses have become a sticking point between Sultans’ owner Ali Tareen and the PCB.

The board has already discussed PSL X’s finances with all stakeholders during a two-day session earlier this month, but is yet to publicly release the complete finances. That may be down to some teams delaying sending their final account sheets to the PCB, which has also delayed the final payments to the players. Reportedly, players have not yet received the remaining 30% of their salaries from PSL X.

With PSL set to enter new agreements with the franchises, broadcasters, and other stakeholders for the next decade of cricket, it will be interesting to see how the finances of PSL X shape those agreements.

For now, most franchises will make money from PSL X, but the delay in payments and lack of clear planning are starting to cause concern. The league continues to grow in popularity, but it may need better management to keep moving forward.