IPG leaves unpaid crew members, commentators in limbo
The Sri Lanka cricket team has experienced a resurgence in recent months, with strong performances on the field.
However, those who bring the action to viewers watching from the comfort of their homes–production crew and local commentators–have been left in limbo, awaiting payment for their work.
According to multiple sources from the team working for Innovative Production Group (IPG), led by Anil Mohan, the company that holds the production rights for Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC), crew members have not been paid since the Lanka Premier League (LPL) in July.
Venues may hold thousands of cricket fans, but millions across the world watch the game live , making the TV production crew an important cog in the machine
The situation is particularly concerning as Sri Lanka has hosted several international teams since the LPL, including India, New Zealand, and the West Indies. Despite the high-profile matches, those involved in broadcasting and commentary remain in the dark about when they will receive their dues.
“We are completely in the dark about this matter,” said several crew members, speaking on condition of anonymity to the Sunday Times.
“We are currently working on the limited-overs series against New Zealand, hoping that we will get paid at the end of this series, but there’s been no confirmation.”
According to sources, the production team consists of around 40 people, including commentators, who have all been waiting for payment for months. Despite attempts to contact the owner for a statement, he was unavailable.
However, Sri Lanka Cricket’s CEO, Ashley de Silva, confirmed that IPG has acknowledged the situation and promised to settle the payments soon. They have yet to pay a significant portion of the LPL Rights Fee to Sri Lanka Cricket.
“There’s some amount to be paid,” admitted CEO de Silva.
“However, there’s a penalty for the delay and we are confident he would settle this soon with the penalty fee.”
Mohan’s IPG is also the Event Rights Holder for the LPL, which concluded its fifth edition in July, with Jaffna Kings claiming their fourth title. However, it’s not just the production crew who have been left in financial uncertainty. Players from the LPL, including the victorious Jaffna Kings, haven’t received their full payments.
Charith Asalanka, captain of the Jaffna Kings, and his teammates are awaiting a significant portion of their contract fees. Sources at SLC revealed that approximately US$200,000 remains unpaid to players and support staff. After the players complained about delayed payments, SLC had to intervene and redistribute the prize money of US$ 100,000 allocated to the players.
“When we got to know the situation, we did not pay the prize money to the franchise instead we distributed it equally among the players,” a senior SLC official said.