CRICKET AUSTRALIA’S (CA) ambitious plan to privatise the Big Bash League (BBL) has hit a major roadblock after Queensland Cricket joined New South Wales (NSW) in opposing the proposal, forcing the governing body to pause the process and consider alternative models.
A report in ESPNcricinfo said that Queensland Cricket informed CA about the decision and then released a statement which said: “The Board and Management of Queensland Cricket have carefully considered the proposal to participate in the privatisation of Big Bash League (BBL) Teams, including the Brisbane Heat,” the statement said. “Cricket Australia and Queensland Cricket have maintained a productive and respectful relationship over the past twelve months as we’ve worked together to determine the best outcome for both parties and the game. Today, we have informed Cricket Australia that we will not be moving to the next phase of the sales process. Instead, we wish to continue to find ways to work with Cricket Australia to grow the Big Bash Leagues in Australia and make it one of the best T20 competitions throughout the world, without selling a minority share in the Brisbane Heat.
“Queensland Cricket has completed an exhaustive due diligence process over the past several months and we thank Cricket Australia for the additional time to complete this. Queensland Cricket remains focused on promoting and growing the game across Queensland and throughout Australia to accelerate participation in our sport.”
CA had proposed selling up to 49% stakes in each of the eight BBL franchises targeting team valuations of up to $200 million. This move could have raised an estimated ~$600m+ in capital. The objective was to inject fresh capital into Australian cricket, increase player salaries to compete with global T20 leagues, and modernise the BBL’s commercial model.
The proposal required broad consensus among Australia’s six state associations. The current positions have seen New South Wales (NSW) first, and now Queensland strongly against private ownership, while Victoria, Western Australia, Tasmania have backed privatisation. South Australia seems to support a hybrid or phased model, but with conditions. Because CA needed at least five of six states to approve, the opposition from NSW and Queensland has effectively stalled the plan.
CA leadership, including CEO Todd Greenberg, has maintained that private investment is “inevitable” for global competitiveness and the original plan aimed to maximize value by selling stakes simultaneously. However, now, without consensus, CA will now “reassess what comes next”. CA has confirmed the BBL will continue as normal in the short term and that the focus has shifted to finding a compromise model acceptable to all states.
