Revenue Streams & ROI: How the Dollar Works

ISSUE No 12

Part 3

Revenue Streams & ROI: How the Dollar Works

The beauty of this hybrid model is that it creates multiple engines of revenue, each working in different ways but all feeding into the same goal: making West Indies cricket sustainable. It’s not just about raising money once and hoping it lasts. It’s about building recurring flows that give the organisation confidence to plan ahead, invest in its players, and grow the game across the region.

For the institutional investors, the story is familiar. They put in capital and in return expect professional governance, transparent reporting, and a share of profits as the business grows. Their return comes in two forms. First, through dividends, the portion of operating surplus that is distributed back to shareholders.  Secondly, through equity appreciation, if the organisation becomes more valuable over time, their stake increases in worth. What makes this compelling is that West Indies cricket is not a start-up in search of a product; it is a legacy brand with built-in global recognition. Properly managed, its media rights, commercial assets, and match-day revenues can appreciate in ways that create genuine upside.

For the strategic partners, return on investment is more direct. An airline that takes equity is not just banking on future dividends; it is securing an association with every tour, every broadcast, every advertisement where the West Indies brand is present. A rum company, a betting operator, or a tourism board isn’t just throwing money into sponsorships that expire after a season. By becoming equity holders, their marketing spend transforms into an investment that grows alongside the success of the team. Their ROI comes in the form of customer acquisition, brand visibility, and a share of the financial growth they help create.

For the regional boards, the return is measured differently. They keep their golden share, ensuring that the cultural heartbeat of West Indies cricket is preserved. Their ROI is not only financial but reputational. With a 35% stake, they have a strong seat at the table and the guarantee that the institution they’ve carried for nearly a century remains recognisably Caribbean. Their dividends can be channelled back into grassroots programmes, facilities, and youth development. In that sense, their return is about continuity as much as cash.

Then there are the fans and diaspora, arguably the most exciting piece of this model. Instead of holding equity, their buy-in comes through membership, structured like a season ticket that covers the entire Caribbean. At a flat monthly subscription of USD $10, members are guaranteed access to every home game and given priority allocation for away fixtures. In practice, this means a fan in Barbados could attend Tests in Kensington Oval and then fly over to Trinidad for the ODI series, but it also means a diaspora supporter in London or Sydney could secure a seat when the West Indies tour their region. Add to that an annual members’ forum where their voices are heard, and the value becomes both practical and emotional.

The most powerful part of this membership model is the scale. If just 5% of the cricket-playing population in the West Indies signed up — around 190,000 people — the annual revenue would be over USD $20 million. That’s not a one-off fundraising exercise.

That’s a reliable stream of income year after year, transforming the fan base from passive spectators into active contributors to the financial health of West Indies cricket. For the diaspora, it’s a chance to turn passion into tangible support. For the organisation, it’s recurring revenue that smooths out the peaks and troughs of the international calendar.

So when we talk about ROI in this hybrid model, it looks different depending on where you stand. Investors see value growth. Strategic partners see brand leverage. Regional boards see heritage preserved and funds for development. And fans see access, connection, and the knowledge that their dollars directly support the team they love.

The challenge, of course, is execution. Trust has to be rebuilt. The product has to be worth the investment. If those conditions are met, the hybrid model creates a structure where every dollar — whether it’s a million from an investor or a hundred and twenty from a fan — has a clear pathway to generate returns, both financial and cultural.