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There is a cloud of uncertainty over the Big Bash League (BBL), as Cricket Australia (CA) is preparing to sell some of the stock of franchises in the league. The matter is under consideration and a final decision is yet to be taken.
While some franchises in the league are keen to find out their respective market valuations, officials of some other teams in the league are against the latest BBL privatization proposal.
Will BBL get new owners in future?
According to ESPN Cricinfo, the state president is scheduled to meet with Cricket Australia (CA) in Melbourne on Monday to vote on the proposal. Among state presidents, Cricket Victoria chief Ross Hepburn is expected to skip the discussion as he will be away from Australia.
Cricket Australia has claimed that they have covered all possible aspects if the BBL goes into private hands. The country’s cricket governing body claims that they have come up with this proposal with a long-term perspective. The board will need financial support to fulfill its future dreams. Previous reports had claimed that, primarily for financial reasons, CA had proposed turning the BBL into a private league.
CA chief executive Todd Greenberg said, “We have an eye on the long-term future. And one thing is very clear – to maintain Australia’s position at the top and grow the popularity of the game, we need to make sure we have the money to continue investing in the things that have achieved success.”
Will the privatization of the league affect the international calendar?
He further mentioned that the Board wants private investment in the most comfortable and effective manner.
“We believe private investment in the Big Bash – with appropriate guardrails – is the best and most effective way of securing the future of the game, from grassroots level through to our signature programmes,” he said.
Former cricketers and a section of the cricket fraternity fear that some traditional avenues will be lost if the proposal to make the BBL exciting becomes real. However, CA’s chief executive has confirmed that if the BBL were privatised, top-tier Test matches would not be given priority.
CA assures the best
He said, “Scheduling the Big Bash League immediately after the men’s Test matches has resulted in cricket dominating viewing habits over the Christmas/New Year period. On those days and nights, we have over two million viewers and over a million viewers glued to their screens throughout the day.”
The Cricket Board believes that the change in the ownership model of the Big Bash League will bring many positive aspects to the game and our broadcast and commercial partners. Greenberg has confirmed that the Boxing Day and New Year’s Tests will remain the same if the league’s shares go up for sale.
The upcoming meeting with state bodies is going to be crucial in determining the fate of the Big Bash League in Australian cricket. It will be interesting to see what the franchises, who are not keen on selling their stake, will do next in the face of this unique situation.
