Agents in peril? Cricket’s intermediaries plough a path through the pandemic

HUW TURBERVILL asks two agents how they have navigated the choppy waters of the last 12 months and, more broadly, how their industry works

The notion that most cricketers have agents would have been laughed at a few decades ago.

It is said the first was Bagenal Harvey. The Guardian quotes Jimmy Graves’ autobiography when describing “a dapper man, a gentleman of impeccable manners who often wore a worsted jacket and an open-necked shirt from which billowed a red cravat like a June rose”. He secured a £1,000-a-year contract for Denis Compton to advertise Brylcreem in one of sport’s legendary deals.

Did the hiring of them really take off with the ascent of Sir Ian Botham, though? His buccaneering exploits 40 summers ago probably made him as a famous cricketer as these Isles have seen – WG Grace, but with the front and back pages of The Sun to magnify him.

Reg Hayter, also a former editor of The Cricketer of course, looked after Botham’s business affairs for a while. Alas the promo work of a successor, the infamous Tim Hudson, has been somewhat devalued in recent years. He promised to elevate his client to action hero status alongside Sly Stallone and Charles Bronson in Tinseltown, but only panto came of it. The multi-coloured striped blazers he and Sir Ian wore were rather fetching, however.

Now almost every cricketer seems to have one, and the proliferation of T20 franchise leagues is keeping them busy.

It’s unclear if any of them are as successful as the one who reportedly secured £135,000 for Terry Venables just to talk to Crystal Palace about a second stint as manager; but I spoke to two amiable fellows who have been trying to chart a path through choppy Covid waters for the last 12 months.

Jonny Hughes is a ‘cricket and football intermediary’ with Full Repertoire, and his clients include Kent’s Ollie Robinson, and Middlesex duo Luke Hollman and Thilan Walallawita.

And Richard Sydenham is a former cricket journalist, who owns the Big Star Creations agency, which manages players such as Shoaib Malik, Mohammad Nabi and Mujeeb Ur Rahman, as well as sourcing cricket and football speakers for events. Firstly, I asked them both, ‘Why do cricketers need agents – isn’t it a football thing?’

^{Kent wicketkeeper Ollie Robinson is among Hughes' clients}

“In recent times with the increased amount of playing opportunities, social media access, media attention and commercial opportunities, cricketers need trusted support to help them on their journey,” said Hughes.

“A good agent knows the market value of his clients, has useful insight on the market and knows what different teams might be looking for – moreover who wouldn’t want someone going into bat for them regarding negotiating a new or improved contract?

“It can be a particularly awkward conversation for a player to have with an existing/new director of cricket or head coach when it comes to discussing the player’s worth and what similar players might be earning.

“The rise and growth of the franchise competitions has created more attention to the role of cricket agents and drawn the comparisons to football, more than likely because of the new earning potential of the higher-profile cricketers as a result  – if anything over the last five years it has also been responsible for the dramatic increase in the number of registered agents.

“In the UK at least, football was probably the first sport to draw real attention to the role of the agent with big money Premier League moves: that explains why often to the outsider they associate agents purely with football!

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“Also the word ‘agent’ doesn’t always do the role justice and has a particular negative label associated to it… I prefer the word ‘manager’ as there’s much more than just the financial aspect of a deal.”

Sydenham believes agents are vital for cricketers.

“Higher-profile cricketers probably need agents more than footballers do,” he says. “Football agents are infamous because of their central role in transfer negotiations or new contracts, but generally I think I’m right to suggest a football agent doesn’t need to be so hands on so often with a football player client as much as cricket agents would be with theirs.

“For example, a footballer would generally be involved with his club from July through to May, if he’s staying where he is. But an in-demand professional cricketer nowadays might play six franchise events all around the world in a year. 

“That is a lot of involvement required for an agent in terms of the initial draft/auction application, then the promotion of them to the franchises. Then once they have a contract, we need to oversee lots of things such as the contract, logistical matters like flights, visas, clothing sizes and preferences, bank details, NOCs, social media interaction to placate the new team and more.”

^{Mohammad Nabi is among Sydenham's portfolio of players}

That sounds like a lot of work.

So I asked them how they juggle Test, T20 and 50-over requirements?

This time Sydenham is first up: “There isn’t much need to juggle the various formats as national boards tend to take care of the players once they are under the care of their national team. But for domestic cricket, usually T20 events, the agents are more involved.” 

“I think it completely depends on the status of the player,” says Hughes. “Those in international set-ups only have particular windows available to play franchise cricket. As well as supporting them in the competitions, agents can add value by looking to support and grow the commercial and media opportunities for these players above and beyond the existing commitments. Whereas those players playing domestic cricket, as well as honouring their current domestic duties, will be looking for additional opportunities – the agent’s role is to help map out these with the player.”

With the pandemic initially causing a complete cessation, how have they coped over the last year? 

“It’s been well documented that all sports have been badly affected by the pandemic, but cricket has done particularly well to keep things moving forwards with the introduction of bio-secure bubbles for all forms of the professional game,” said Hughes. “However in the mid to longer term without the reintroduction of spectators and sponsors, media partners and broadcasters retaining full access to their rights, there is likely to be a few more bumps along the way.

“Players have voluntarily taken wage cuts, some franchise competitions have lowered their pay bands and sponsors/media partners/broadcasters have sacrificed rights.

“Yet looking at the positive side of things from a UK perspective, broadcasters continuing to show cricket from all over the world at all times of the day, the cricket conversation on social media thriving plus terrestrial TV increasing their footprint in cricket once again (exposing the game to more people) can only be a positive for cricket as we come out of the pandemic. Cricket has definitely played its part in bringing people together in these strange times!”

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Sydenham is also feeling optimistic. “The cricket industry has been rocked by the pandemic as so many other sports and organisations have been but the sport has been resilient in its efforts to keep the show on the road,” he said. “International-wise national boards should be applauded for facilitating the bio-secure bubbles that has enabled so many series to go ahead to keep the TV companies and viewers happy, and domestic cricket has also coped well. 

“The Caribbean Premier League, for example, managed to shoehorn the whole tournament last year all into one place in Trinidad through special government permissions when air travel was not allowed there. It was a great event still, albeit without the usual carnival, party atmosphere.

“I believe if cricket has been able to withstand the last nine months as well as it has, the game will soon recover and grow stronger as crowds eventually return and as sponsors and media partners gain confidence once again.”

I then ask Hughes a cheeky question – how much money does he receive. He obliges: 20 per cent on commercial deals, then between 5 and 10 per cent on playing.

Not every player has an agent. The Professional Cricketers' Association still offer help to players, and I bet one or two dads are still pressed into action.

With ever more global competitions sprouting up, though, I’m sure that there will be enough work for everyone.

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