Black empowerment is one of the key themes running through the mission statement of the 2003 World Cup policy committee and if the achievement matches the intentions the tournament could become the springboard for a massive explosion of interest in cricket in South Africa.

The policy committee met last Friday and on the agenda was a proposal by Ali Bacher, executive director of the tournament, that the United Cricket Board endeavour to get 40-50 000 black spectators, all of whom would be actively involved in the game at all levels, to World Cup matches. In all some 600 000 spectators are expected to watch the tournament.

Bacher's plan would be for the UCB to foot the bill for the tickets with the World Cup's commercial sponsors and partners assisting with matters such as transport.

Bacher also hopes for the involvement of the South African government, at all levels, in the World Cup. He has meetings planned with the majority of the country's premiers and the mayors of the major metropolitan areas and he will ask the central government to help with the cost of the two-hour opening ceremony at Newlands on February 6, 2003.

The notion that the World Cup should leave a permanent legacy for South Africa is an important part of the mission statement. In tangible terms, Bacher wants to see 50 grass ovals (as apart from the12 that have already been provided by PPC Cement) constructed in previously disadvantaged areas.

It almost goes without saying that the World Cup will be an expensive undertaking – Bacher estimates an expenditure of R250-million – but he is also aiming at exceeding the R130-million profit made by England in 1999.

To a large degree this will be achieved by broadening the base and interest in the game among all sections of the South African community. Advertising campaigns, for instance, which have tended to concentrate on the white male market, will be widened to include blacks and women.

It is also a specific aim that "South African companies that are given commercial opportunities through the World Cup must have a satisfactory black empowerment element".

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