Private ownership and expansion of BBL among recommendations sent to Cricket Australia

NEW DELHI: Private ownership and expansion of the Big Bash leagues are among the recommendations that were given to Cricket Australia (CA), as they look for next steps in the evolution of the leagues.

The CA Board commissioned the Boston Consulting Group to consult with experts and stakeholders from across CA, Australian Cricket and around the world and provide recommendations for the next phase of the BBL and WBBL evolution.

In a statement on Wednesday, CA revealed the recommendations it has received from BCG. The first one talks about attracting the world’s top players and enhancing Australian player availability through an optimised schedule, including a later start to the BBL season, and a higher salary cap;

It is followed by different operating models and administrative structures, potential for expansion, and recommendation of alternative forms of investment and ownership to realise the potential for growth, including consideration of private investment.

As of now, BBL and WBBL teams are by CA and the states, while franchise leagues worldwide like the Indian Premier League (IPL), South Africa’s SA20, USA’s Major League Cricket (MLC) and the ILT20 in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) are by major Indian companies.

CA added the report will now be subject to a thorough exploratory process before any decisions are made about the potential implementation of recommendations, and any associated timelines.

“We will work closely with the States and Territories, the Big Bash clubs, the players and our broadcast and commercial partners to consider the recommendations on how this value can be unlocked.”