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Cloud of uncertainty over the Big Bash League (BBL) as Cricket Australia (CA) is preparing to sell some of the stocks of the franchises in the league. The matter is under consideration, and a final decision is yet to be taken.
While some of the franchises in the franchise league are eager to explore their respective market valuations, officials of some other teams in the league are against the latest BBL privatization proposal.
BBL to get new owners in the future?
According to ESPNCricinfo, State chairs are set to meet with Cricket Australia (CA) in Melbourne on Monday to vote on the proposal. Among the state chairs, Cricket Victoria's head Ross Hepburn is expected to miss the discussion as he will be outside Australia.
Cricket Australia has claimed that they have covered all of the possible aspects if the BBL goes under private hands. The cricket governing body of the nation claims that they have come up with the proposal with a long-term vision. To fulfill the future dreams, the board will need financial support. In previous reports, it was claimed that, mainly because of financial reasons, CA had proposed to transform BBL into a private league.
“We have an eye on the long-term future. And one thing is absolutely clear - to maintain Australia's position at the top and keep growing the game's popularity, we need to ensure we have the funds to continue to invest in the things that have created success,” CA chief executive Todd Greenberg said.
Will the international calender influence by the privatization of the league?
He further mentions that the board wants the private investments in the most comfortable and effective way.
“We see private investment in the Big Bash - with the appropriate guardrails - as comfortably the best and most effective way of protecting the future of the game from the grassroots to our elite programs,” he added.
A part of former cricketers and the cricket fraternity fear losing some of the traditional alleys if the proposal to make the BBL provocative becomes real. However, the CA chief executive of CA confirms that if privatisation came into the BBL, then the top-tier test matches will not be deprioritized.
CA assures the best
“Scheduling Big Bash Leagues immediately after men's Test matches has seen cricket dominate viewing habits in the heart of the Christmas/New Year's period. On those days and nights, we have had peak audiences of more than two million and more than one million viewers glued to their screens across a full day,” he said.
The cricket board believes that a change in the ownership model of the Big Bash League will come with a lot of positive aspects for the sport and our broadcast and commercial partners. Greenberg confirms that Boxing Day and New Year's Tests will remain the same if the league shares go up for sale.
The upcoming meeting with the state bodies is going to be vital to determine the fate of the Big Bash League in Australian cricket. It will be interesting to see what the franchises, which are not eager to sell their stakes, will do next to encounter the unique situation.
