CA to hold a meeting on BBL Privatisation in Sydney | PC- AFP
Cricket Australia (CA) has been making every possible effort to make its biggest property, the Big Bash League (BBL), a hit, like the Indian Premier League (IPL) or the Pakistan Super League (PSL).
For the last edition, the BBL clubs went all in for Pakistan players, so that the likes of Babar Azam, Shaheen Afridi and Shadab Khan could bring in more eyeballs.
After the move was largely hit-and-miss, the BBL has decided to shift its base to Chennai for its curtain-raiser to popularise the Australian league among Indian audiences.
Moreover, CA is also thinking of privatising the BBL, following the growing trend of franchise-led T20 leagues worldwide.
Final call on BBL privatisation to be taken in Monday meeting
Accordingly to a report by Code Sports, a final call on the BBL privatisation will be taken on Monday (September 7) night, with the Cricket Australia (CA) sitting with all the state boards in Sydney.
It has been said that CA, along with Victoria, Tasmania and Western Australia, is pushing the league towards privatisation. Whereas, the remaining states, such as South Australia, Queensland and NSW, still have their concerns.
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"CA’s board is due to meet in Sydney on Monday night where it is understood the protracted saga of BBL privatisation is likely to finally come to a head," the report stated.
"State chiefs met in Melbourne last week amid ongoing tension between the staunch pro-privatisation bloc (CA, Victoria, Tasmania and Western Australia) and South Australia, Queensland and NSW, all of whom have varying degrees of concern with CA’s plan," it added.
How can privatisation be a game-changer for BBL?
As the franchise league business expands rapidly, IPL owners and top conglomerates from across the globe are looking to invest in cricket.
After acquiring teams in South Africa, the UAE, the Caribbean, the USA, and the UK, the next stop for foreign investors is Australia. And why won’t it be? The Big Bash League is regarded as the best and most competitive T20 league after the Indian Premier League (IPL).
Currently, the BBL clubs are run and owned by the state boards, just as they were in The Hundred in England.
And, if the BBL gets privatised, it will only help build stronger infrastructure at the grassroots level, a stronger global reach, higher pay caps, professional management, and greater revenue generation.
Are IPL owners inclined towards acquiring BBL teams?
Earlier in June, it was reported that two of the IPL bosses, the Ambani family, who own franchise teams including the Mumbai Indians, and Sunrisers’ Kavya Maran, have shown interest in buying off a club in the BBL.
However, the speculation died down after Cricket Victoria had apparently turned down a merger between the Melbourne Renegades and the Melbourne Stars.
That said, if all stakeholders agree on the BBL privatisation, the Melbourne Renegades could be up for grabs.
“Should the board approve the long-mooted opt-in model, an announcement from CA would be imminent,” the report revealed. “That would pave the way for an expression of interest process for the sale of the Melbourne Renegades to open within weeks,” it added.
Not just MI and SRH; if BBL privatisation gets a green signal, more IPL owners would be interested in getting their piece of the pie.
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