New South Wales and Queensland have told Cricket Australia they won’t approve the proposed privatisation of the Big Bash League. This situation makes it challenging for the board to proceed without support from all states.
Cricket Australia had asked all states to respond by a deadline regarding whether they would support moving forward with the next steps, which include getting official valuations of BBL franchises. Early estimates suggest that fully privatising the league could bring in between AU$600 million and AU$800 million.
However, both New South Wales and Queensland have not given their approval yet. Reports suggest they are looking for more information on several points of the proposal before making a decision. Despite this, NSW chief executive Lee Germon has confirmed their commitment to the growth of the BBL.
“We still believe that selling the BBL clubs is not the right path. We agree with Cricket Australia on the need to invest in and grow the BBL, ensuring our best players participate in a suitable timeframe,” Germon stated.
“We think there’s a better way to achieve this through self-funding methods. In the last few weeks, we worked on an alternative strategy which we shared with Cricket Australia and other states,” he added.
Germon has asked Cricket Australia to pause the current push for privatisation or at least explore other models simultaneously. NSW believes there are opportunities for revenue from ticket sales, sponsorships, and betting. However, the latter could be a sensitive topic, especially following recent Australian government announcements on gambling reforms.
“Some options will be more acceptable and achievable than others, but they need to be explored for funding opportunities to grow the BBL without selling our clubs,” Germon explained.
“Our concern is that external investment could complicate the current successful cricket environment, potentially leading to misaligned goals between investors, the states, and Cricket Australia,” he added.
Additionally, NSW’s position contrasts with that of CA chair Mike Baird, a strong supporter of privatisation. He also represents NSW on the CA board. Meanwhile, NSW chair John Knox has ties to Ares Management, which holds a 49% stake in the Trent Rockets.
In a recent meeting, it was mentioned that BBL privatisation could proceed without unanimous state agreement.
“A mixed ownership model could complicate the cricket ecosystem. The BBL is not just a commercial venture; it holds a significant place within our cricket community,” Germon noted.
On another note, Germon mentioned that Sydney Thunder could be involved if the BBL plays its opening game next season in Chennai. The team had previously signed Ravichandran Ashwin, who was injured and could not participate.
“About 50% of our Sydney Thunder fans also follow Chennai Super Kings, which reflects the interest. We see this as a great opportunity, though it needs to make commercial sense and engage fans. We don’t know yet if it would take a game away from here, but we support Cricket Australia’s initiative,” Germon concluded.