Cricket Australia chief executive Todd Greenberg said BBL privatisation remains necessary to keep the Big Bash League competitive after an initial proposal to sell franchise stakes stalled.
Greenberg told Australian media that private capital would help lift salary caps and retain players as rival T20 leagues compete for talent during the December-January window. He said the concept of private investment in cricket was “inevitable at some point.”
Cricket Australia paused its sell-off plan after Queensland Cricket and Cricket NSW rejected the proposal. ESPNcricinfo reported that CA is now considering alternative models after failing to secure a consensus among state associations.
Queensland Cricket, which controls the Brisbane Heat, raised concerns about unsustainable player payments and the impact of private ownership on grassroots cricket. Cricket NSW, which operates the Sydney Sixers and Sydney Thunder, also warned about risks to governance and player development.
The Guardian reported that the stalled plan had included selling up to 49% of each BBL franchise. Victoria, Western Australia and Tasmania supported the idea, while South Australia remained open to some form of private investment.
Greenberg said Australia must respond to competition from the UAE’s ILT20, South Africa’s SA20 and New Zealand’s privately backed NZ20, which is scheduled to start in December 2027.
Former Australia captain Greg Chappell opposed large-scale private ownership, warning that investors answer to shareholders rather than Australian cricket. Andrew Jones, a former Cricket Australia strategy head, also called a one-off sale a “sugar hit” and urged stronger commercial growth through sponsorships, ticketing and women’s cricket.
