West Indies’ competitive tour of India has been close on the field, but the financial structure behind the series is far less balanced. Cricket West Indies chief executive Chris Dehring said the board receives no share of the bilateral broadcast revenue because India are the host nation, highlighting how the post-1997 revenue model works in international cricket.
What West Indies earn from touring India
The key point is straightforward: West Indies do not receive a cut of the broadcast money from this tour. According to Dehring, the revenue generated by the series remains with India, even though the visitors are taking part in eight matches across three ODIs and five T20Is.
Dehring estimated that a series in India could be worth between $20 million and $30 million to the host board, but that amount does not flow to the touring side. In practical terms, the West Indies leave the tour without direct series revenue, while India retain the commercial income.
| Metric | Value |
|---|
| Total matches on tour | 8 |
| ODIs | 3 |
| T20Is | 5 |
| Estimated value of series to host | $20 million to $30 million |
| West Indies share of series broadcast revenue | $0 |
How the current revenue model changed
The system changed after a 1997 ICC vote. Before that, visiting teams received a touring fee, which helped smaller boards cover the cost of long overseas trips. After the vote, the host board was allowed to keep bilateral broadcast revenue, which permanently shifted the financial balance toward countries with larger home markets.
Dehring said the older model could be more favorable for touring sides because the guaranteed payment was sometimes higher than the income West Indies could generate at home. Under the current structure, the advantage sits with the host, especially in major markets such as India.
| Revenue model | Before 1997 | After 1997 |
|---|
| Touring team payment | Guaranteed touring fee | No bilateral broadcast share |
| Host board income | Shared structure | Hosts keep broadcast revenue |
| Financial impact on smaller boards | More stable | Dependent on ICC distributions |
Why India collect far more from bilateral series
The commercial difference is rooted in audience size. India’s cricket market is massive, with access to roughly 1.5 billion people, while the West Indies market is far smaller and spread across multiple territories. Antigua’s population is about 100,000, while St Kitts is around 30,000, underscoring why broadcast value diverges so sharply.
That audience gap explains why India’s home series can generate much larger rights deals. For the West Indies, the same match volume produces competitive value on the field but little direct economic return.
| Board / Market | Reported figure |
|---|
| India population base | About 1.5 billion |
| Antigua population | About 100,000 |
| St Kitts population | About 30,000 |
What West Indies earn from the ICC instead
For boards like West Indies, the main recurring income comes from the ICC’s separate member distribution. Under the 2024 to 2027 model, West Indies are reported to receive 4.58 per cent, or about $27.5 million per year. India’s share is reported at 38.5 per cent, or about $231 million per year.
That means India’s annual ICC distribution is roughly 8.4 times larger than West Indies’ share. The comparison shows how central the ICC pool is for smaller boards, and how much more stable it is than relying on home-series hosting alone.
| Board | ICC share | Annual amount | Multiple vs West Indies |
|---|
| West Indies | 4.58% | $27.5 million | 1.0x |
| India | 38.5% | $231 million | 8.4x |
How this compares with Cricket West Indies finances
Dehring’s estimated $20 million to $30 million value for the India series is significant when measured against CWI’s broader budget. The board’s reported revenue for 2025 is $40.9 million, which means a single India series would equal between 49 per cent and 73 per cent of annual turnover.
That scale helps explain why home hosting matters so much to West Indies cricket. CWI expects a net loss of about $26 million in 2026 and a profit of about $8 million in 2027, while the 2024 T20 World Cup reportedly contributed nearly half of the board’s revenue that year.
| Financial measure | Value |
|---|
| Projected CWI revenue for 2025 | $40.9 million |
| India series estimated value | $20 million to $30 million |
| Series as share of 2025 revenue | 49% to 73% |
| Projected CWI loss in 2026 | $26 million |
| Projected CWI profit in 2027 | $8 million |
Why the issue matters beyond one series
The revenue gap has real consequences for planning, pay structures and long-term competitiveness. CWI has already responded with a 25 per cent pay cut for international players, reduced domestic retainers to seven months and suspended domestic competitions. The board is also expected to rely on ICC loan financing and bank credit to cover the 2026 and 2027 funding gap.
In that context, the India tour is a useful case study in modern cricket economics. West Indies can compete in matches, level a series and produce standout individual performances, but under the current model they still do not benefit financially from the bilateral broadcast market when India host.
The conclusion is simple: the cricket may be shared, but the money is not. Until the bilateral revenue model changes, West Indies will continue to depend far more on ICC distributions and rare hosting windfalls than on the financial value of away tours in major markets.