Cricket Australia and the six state associations have, at long last, settled on an “in-principle” path that would let each state decide if and when it sells a slice – or even the whole lot – of its Big Bash League club. It is progress, though hardly the end of the wrangling. The Australian Cricketers’ Association remains opposed to the current model and, without the players, nothing moves.
Four state chairs and stand-ins from the other two boards met CA officials in Melbourne on Monday. For the first time in months the states sang, more or less, from the same hymn sheet, only 24 hours after the ACA signalled it would block the proposal.
CA’s post-meeting statement spoke of “strong agreement” to advance private investment, with flexibility for each state on timing. New South Wales, Queensland and South Australia – previously sceptical for assorted reasons – have now fallen in behind Victoria, Western Australia and Tasmania.
“The Chairs provided their in-principle support of a self-determination model for private investment to be introduced into the game to be taken back to their individual boards for further discussion,” the statement said. “The in-principle agreement, once conditions are met, would create the potential for Cricket Victoria to be the first state to go to market. This process would allow market testing of club valuation.”
That last point is key. Victoria jumped the gun earlier in the month by merging the back-office operations of the Melbourne Stars and Renegades, signalling its intent to push ahead with a sale. WA and Tasmania have always sounded keen. The others wanted more detail on governance, funding flows and, crucially, player involvement. Monday’s pact edges them closer.
Still, four sizeable hurdles sit in the fine print:
• The governance structure for a new-look Big Bash must be nailed down.
• CA’s own board set-up needs tweaking to fit the new model.
• A mechanism for the self-determination plan must be struck with the Australian Cricketers’ Association.
• CA and every state must agree on future funding and distribution deals.
The third item is already looking sticky. ACA chief executive Paul Marsh emailed players on Sunday night, making it clear the union cannot support the present framework. Marsh, a handful of senior players, CA boss Todd Greenberg and BBL head Alistair Dobson met in Melbourne last week; by all accounts it was cordial but nowhere near conclusive.
Neither side is keen to air the numbers publicly, which leaves a fair bit of guesswork. The players mainly want guarantees that wages, contracting rules and playing conditions won’t be squeezed once private money arrives. They also want a seat at the table when clubs are valued and stakes are sold.
Victoria’s situation is the liveliest test case. It has already rebadged the administrative staff of its two clubs and is mulling coaching set-ups for next summer. Insiders reckon the Renegades might have to run in caretaker mode for at least one campaign while buyers are sourced and the paperwork is tidied up – hardly ideal preparation.
The calendar is another enemy. A deal pushing past mid-winter leaves minimal runway before the season. Sponsors, broadcasters and coaching staff all prefer certainty by early spring. Any further delay could shove full privatisation back to 2027-28, which would frustrate states counting on a fresh revenue stream.
Privatisation is no longer a taboo subject in Australian cricket – the IPL, Major League Cricket and The Hundred have normalised outside investment – but there is still a cultural hurdle. State associations have historically guarded their teams, even if privately they acknowledge the competition has plateaued.
For now, CA can chalk Monday up as a small win. In truth, the bigger battle is convincing the men and women who take the field. Without them, the lights don’t come on, and no amount of private capital changes that.
