PRIVATISATION COULD PROVIDE IPL BOON FOR BBL

And News Corp understands Rajasthan – Shane Warne’s old team – have already made it clear they would climb into the BBL market at the drop of a hat if the door was opened to privatisation.

Private investment has given the new South African and UAE leagues, who are now directly competing against the BBL in January, the resources to offer between $500,000 and $700,000 for international superstars – money the Big Bash can’t match.

“I hope they can take a leaf out of what’s happened with the IPL, because the fundamental truth of it is Australia is such a massive cricketing superpower and there is no reason why the Big Bash should not be up there (as a top league),” Gill said.

“It just needs a bit of rejuvenation. I think the BBL needs a shot in the arm and needs to be reignited and my sense is privatisation could be the catalyst. If the BBL went down that path … I think there would be a lot of interest from Indian investors.”

To illustrate the potential of the Big Bash as a global commercial force, it’s understood the new cashed-up league in the UAE was interested in tapping into the Sydney Sixers’ brand as a way of demonstrating its credentials as an international league.

Broadcasters Channel 7 and Fox Cricket have endured major frustrations with the BBL such as it suffering from the competing interests of international scheduling, the narrow-mindedness of the states and the high performance unit of the Australian team.

Sources at both networks believe CA should at least consider privatisation.

While sympathetic to the challenges Cricket Australia has faced during Covid, Fox Cricket chief Matt Weiss says private investment could be a way of turning the BBL back into the show stopping entertainment product broadcasters want. “I’d leave the financials to people who are more qualified than me but we’ve seen it work very successfully in the IPL which is the benchmark for T20 competition models,” said Weiss.

“Privatisation gives the IPL a lot of celebrity sizzle, financial support and entertainment. The other part which is underrated is the Rajasthan Royals for example have a team in Abu Dhabi and a side in the Caribbean Premier League … so they’re creating a worldwide 365 T20 franchise model.

“To have a business of that size involved in the BBL would seem a good thing. If that kind of model grows and brings extra star power and funds to the game and better players to the competitions than it can only be a good thing.”

Leading industry figures believe the fact IPL teams like Rajasthan are buying up teams around the globe could eventually lead to a scenario where superstar players are centrally contracted to the franchise and play for their IPL team in all the different leagues.

Critics of privatising the BBL point to fears it would undermine grassroots cricket and cost Cricket Australia control of the game.

Gill insists it is privatisation which has driven the IPL as an international benchmark for high performance and competition in T20 cricket and said the success of the Indian game should encourage Australia to go down a similar path.