The Stanford Plan

Packaged within a budget of US$ 28 million, Allen Stanford's five-week tournament offers a million dollar first prize from a total prize structure of US$2,115,000. The runner up gets half that, with the man of the match taking US$25,000 and the man of the championship match getting US$100,000.

It offers each participating nation $100,000 for infrastructure and equipment, $120,000 for players and coaches, $60,000 for maintenance of facilities, and $350,000 for airfare, lodging, meals and other expenses.

The countries invited to participate are: Anguilla, Antigua & Barbuda, Bahamas, Barbados, Bermuda, Cayman Islands, Combined Virgin Islands, Dominica, Grenada, Guyana, Jamaica, Montserrat, Nevis, St. Kitts, St. Lucia, St. Maarten, St. Vincent and Trinidad and Tobago.

In addition, Stanford has allocated $380,000 for two nutritionists and four athletic trainers to provide overall support from their base in Antigua. Stanford allocated half his overall budget to these items, plus media and tournament costs. The other half goes towards his big event, "Stanford Caribbean Super Stars," which pits a "super star" team, presumably of West Indian players against two invited teams. For this, he is offering $5 million to each winner of two matches to be held in November 2006.

He has also acquired the services of 14 West Indian cricket "legends" to form an advisory board overseeing the project. Chaired by Andy Roberts, the impeccably pedigreed board includes Sir Garry Sobers, Sir Everton Weekes, Sir Viv Richards, Clive Lloyd, Wes Hall, Gordon Greenidge, Desmond Haynes, Richie Richardson, Lance Gibbs, Joel Garner, Courtney Walsh, Curtly Ambrose and Ian Bishop.