AT A TIME WHEN cricket is confronting a clear and ever widening divide between the haves (India, Australia and England) and have nots (pretty much the rest of the cricketing world), Cricket Australia CEO Todd Greenber wants that the Big Bash League (BBL) be one among the ‘Grand Slam’ tournaments on the T20 franchise cricket circuit.
Greeberg feels that BBL needs to be a part of the ‘Grand Slam’ concept in franchise cricket alongside the likes of the IPL and The Hundred.
“The way I have described it… I think there will be effectively the Grand Slams in T20 franchise cricket,” Greenberg told SEN Cricket.
“We have already seen one in the IPL, let us call that Wimbledon. I think The Hundred (in England) will make their mark there. I want to make sure that in Australia, we form part of that Grand Slam series of T20 events.”
“And to do that, you need capital, you need investment, you need the best players, and you need the right window. I am conscious that if we just sit around and hope that we can compete as opposed to genuinely trying to find ways to compete, we might lose our place on that stage,” he noted.
In its 14th season currently, BBL is considering privatisation following a report commissioned from Boston Consulting Group, which recommended it in July. If the decision receives Cricket Australia’s approval, the sale of these stakes could raise up to A$800 million ($528m), which would help CA address budget issues and invest significantly across all levels of the game.
Also, with this money, BBL could also achieve its goal of becoming the world’s second-best T20 competition after the cash-rich Indian Premier League (IPL).
Greeberg feels that BBL needs to be a part of the ‘Grand Slam’ concept in franchise cricket alongside the likes of the IPL and The Hundred.
“The way I have described it… I think there will be effectively the Grand Slams in T20 franchise cricket,” Greenberg told SEN Cricket.
“We have already seen one in the IPL, let us call that Wimbledon. I think The Hundred (in England) will make their mark there. I want to make sure that in Australia, we form part of that Grand Slam series of T20 events.”
“And to do that, you need capital, you need investment, you need the best players, and you need the right window. I am conscious that if we just sit around and hope that we can compete as opposed to genuinely trying to find ways to compete, we might lose our place on that stage,” he concluded.
CA will be looking to confirm its decision on the privatisation of BBL during 2026.
