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Australia’s Big Bash League (BBL) may soon see a major change, which will completely change the way teams sign foreign players for the tournament. In fact, Cricket Australia (CA) is seriously thinking about removing its existing draft system and bringing in an IPL-style auction in the BBL.
This comes amid reports that many Australian domestic players are unhappy with the current payment system in the Big Bash League. Many local cricketers feel that foreign stars are being paid much more while local players are not getting the same importance in the BBL.
CA and ACA agree to remove draft system from BBL
Currently, some of the top foreign players in the BBL earn around $420,000 a season. This amount is much more than what many Australian players get in their country’s T20 league. Due to this huge difference, the frustration of the players has now become a big headache for Cricket Australia.
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As reported by Code Sports, Cricket Australia recently held an important meeting with the Australian Cricketers Association (ACA) regarding changing the draft system in the Big Bash League. After the meeting, CA and ACA have reportedly agreed to scrap the BBL draft soon.
Many have agreed to copy the auction model of the Indian Premier League (IPL). In this system, instead of paying a fixed huge amount, the teams will decide for themselves how much they have to spend on foreign players. Officials believe this can also help local players earn better money.
Big Bash League looking for direct deals without draft or auction
If franchises spend less on overseas stars, the money saved can be used to fund Australian cricketers who play the full season. At the same time, another option is also being discussed, where there will be neither a draft nor an auction. In that case, teams will talk directly to foreign players and make their deals privately.
But even after these possible changes, BBL is still facing a big problem. South Africa’s SA20 league is becoming very powerful and is attracting many top international players with big salaries during the January season.
Due to the growth of SA20, CA is also trying to bring private investors into BBL. It is being said that there are plans to sell four teams first and later expand the process to other teams as well.
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SA20 pressure forces Cricket Australia to think big
Cricket Australia CEO Todd Greenberg reportedly believes that the Big Bash League must be financially strong if it is to compete with the world’s richest T20 tournament, as leagues around the world are spending massive amounts of money on players every year for global reach.
The Grade Cricketer quoted Todd Greenberg as saying, “So, on private capital, the concept is that global T20 leagues are emerging around the world. They have significant funds; they are paying significant sums of money to players.”
The CA CEO added, “If we want to compete, we have to be included in that conversation. Because otherwise what happens is your game gets taken away from the best players. You talked about the best Australian players; 100%, you’re right, but we also want the best players globally to see us as the league they want to play in.”
