The new Melbourne Cricket team is likely to be called ‘Melbourne Rangers’ after Cricket Victoria decided to merge the two Melbourne franchises from the 2026-27 Big Bash League.
Recently, it was announced that the two Melbourne teams would combine. Cricket Victoria (CV) is also looking to sell a second stake in the team amid discussions about private investment in the BBL.
According to ESPNcricinfo, CV has applied to trademark ‘Rangers’ with the Australian government authority responsible for intellectual property rights. This name references ‘Bushrangers’, the previous name of the Victoria team. The team will wear Victoria’s navy blue colors. The trademark application was submitted on June 4, with an expected response by September 3. It will cover jerseys, playing kits, promotional materials, digital content, and apps.
The Stars will serve as the main franchise for the merger, while the Renegades might continue in a ‘caretaker mode’ for the 2026-27 season if their franchise license isn’t sold or if new owners don’t take over before the WBBL starts in October. The sale options depend on state votes to move forward.
The merger news gained attention when the club informed staff on June 2. This led to CV and Cricket Australia taking steps to manage the situation. Meetings were quickly arranged with other states, where CA had to explain its decision. CA CEO Todd Greenberg acknowledged that the timing was not ideal, and Nick Cummins, Victoria’s CEO, expressed concerns for staff due to uncertainties regarding the privatization model.
Initially, CA aimed to prioritize the entire tournament, but concerns from New South Wales and issues raised by Queensland and South Australia caused delays. CA allowed states to decide on their own approach moving forward.
Despite early hesitations, CV has shifted in favor of the privatization model and is expected to eventually sell the Renegades. CA was informed of these plans, but it preferred to keep the announcements on hold until further developments occurred.
Meetings with state CEOs will begin next week, with June 15 set as an important date for votes on the states’ plans regarding private investment.