The flurry of activity in the media and concerning student safety in Australia seems to have taken it’s toll. It is widely reported that visa applications by Indian students wanting to study in Australia have dropped by as much as 46% compared to the same time last year. While some of it can be attributed to the GFC (Global Financial Crisis), the media hype and the diplomatic war of words have definitely made a big dent in the market.
The education market, estimated at $15 billion, is staring down the barrel of losses in student numbers. This is going to be a year of empty classrooms for a number of private education providers. They are up against a perfect storm of forces – the Indian economy remaining buoyant through the GFC, the strengthening of the rupee against the US dollar making it attractive to prospective students, and the hit that Australia has taken in it’s reputation for safety.
Now, as a first step, for Australia to get her groove back, she needs a strong brand ambassador – someone that can work miracles, and I don’t mean Mary McKillop. The land of Oz could re-invent an advertising campaign with Lara Bingle’s ‘Where the bloody hell are you?’ sort of message? But somehow, my gut feel is that is not going to work. Even a ‘flawed’ Jennifer Hawkins is going to find it difficult to lure students back. But, nay, do not despair. I think I have found the perfect mantra to revival. Something that will make students return in droves. The answer, my friends, is cricket.
Ah, cricket, you say - not that chirpy insect, but the game. Indians are unique – they are born with one special chromosome dedicated to cricket. It runs in the Indian blood. As they say, some Indians are born with cricket, some learn it, and the rest have cricket thrust upon them. In a country of over 20 official languages and 25 states, the glue that binds them together is this game that the British introduced in their colonies, so they could keep getting humiliated for years after they quit those countries.
The businessman in me says there is definitely an angle here. If you have ever been to India, the one thing you will realise is that there is hardly any open space left to play a relaxed game of cricket. The contrast to the open landscapes of Australia is stark. In Mumbai, you could not play cricket without breaking your neighbour’s window or injuring an innocent passer-by. And, that is where Australia has a competitive edge.
What I am proposing is for an ‘Australian Cricket University’ to be set up. Similar to cricket academies that already exist in some parts of Australia and India, only they would be on a much larger scale. The primary intent would be for would-be and upcoming players from around the world (well, India mostly) to spend 2-3 years in a fully residential course developing their cricket skills. The course could allow the students to play on some of the best pitches in Australia, from the MCG to the Adelaide Oval. And the ones that shine in this would win a fast track ticket to regional or national teams.
Is there a demand for this, you may ask. Consider that cricketers in India have rock star status. They earn millions in endorsements and sponsorship in addition to match fees. And the match fees are nothing to scoff at either. For a single IPL season, a new face can make anywhere between $20K and $100K for 6 weeks of effort. Seasoned names can make millions. The Cricket University would provide the ones who can afford it a chance to shine and perhaps be picked by an IPL side.
And if the Cricket University could lure some big names into their fold, say the likes of Steve Waugh or Shane Warne, who are household names in India, there is no stopping it. Of course, a course of this magnitude would not come cheap. I would expect a student to pay about $40-50K for a year.
The biggest drawback would be that there is no guarantee of success in such a course. This is where the Cricket University would need to diversify it’s offerings. Apart from the gruelling training regime, students could actually study a number of courses, and probably earn a Bachelor of Cricket. It could be anything from public speaking skills (so they can ace that post match interview on TV) to commentary skills. The more mathematically inclined could choose cricket statistics or bookmaking. The media driven ones could move into becoming a cameraman or a animator for cricket channels. Some could make a foray into merchandising and selling cricketing equipment or even memorabilia.
In fact, it could spawn a huge industry, with students finding careers in publishing, media, physiotherapy, talent management, umpiring, or any one of those myriad industries that cricket supports. So, it would be unique in turning out graduates who can take the cricketing world by storm, either by playing at the highest level or by supporting the industry.
I’m sure the offering could be made attractive enough to attract a number of students. The more I think about it, the more feasible it looks. And where better to set it up than Bowral in NSW, the home of Don Bradman. Don enjoys celebrity status in India with thousands of tourists making the trip every year to visit Don’s museum in Bowral. (I suspect the reason he came to be looked on as a demi God was not just due to his batting prowess, but because he came out openly in support of Sachin Tendulkar, calling him the greatest batsman of all time).
Now, all I’ve got to do is find a venture capitalist, who is cricket crazy to stump up the initial couple of million dollars to set it up, and I can retire a rich man. Howzaat!
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