Cricket Australia (CA) is exploring new financial options after Queensland Cricket joined New South Wales Cricket in rejecting plans to sell. big bash league Voting stake to private investors. The decision ends the board’s effort for league-wide privatization before the 2027 season.
Queensland Cricket had earlier asked for more time to review the proposal during the board meeting held two weeks ago. However, it informed Chairman Mike Baird and CEO Todd Greenberg on Wednesday that it has rejected the plan altogether, opposing pursuing any type of privatization.
Queensland Cricket rejects proposal to privatize Big Bash League (BBL)
Queensland Cricket issued an official statement on Thursday confirming its final decision on the privatization issue. Queensland prefers to work with Cricket Australia through an alternative model rather than selling a minority stake in Brisbane Heat to private investors.
A Queensland Cricket statement read, “We have informed Cricket Australia that we will not be proceeding to the next stage of the sale process. Instead, we want to continue to find ways to work with Cricket Australia to grow the Big Bash League in Australia and make it one of the best T20 competitions worldwide without selling a minority stake in the Brisbane Heat.”
The statement said officials reviewed the proposal in detail. Queensland Cricket thanked Cricket Australia and said it would focus on grassroots involvement and overall development of the game in Queensland and Australia.
“Queensland Cricket has completed an extensive due diligence process over the past several months, and we thank Cricket Australia for taking the additional time to complete it. Queensland Cricket is focused on promoting and growing the game in Queensland and across Australia while accelerating participation in our sport.”
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NSW and Queensland are not supportive of private capital – Todd Greenberg
Todd Greenberg spoke to the media on Thursday after rejection from New South Wales Cricket and Queensland Cricket. He said Australian states are divided on allowing private investment in their Big Bash League teams.
“NSW and Queensland are certainly not supporters of private capital. NSW has an alternative model for self-funding. Queensland doesn’t have an alternative model, but they don’t believe private capital is something for them,” Greenberg said on Thursday.
Greenberg said the South Australian Cricket Association supports the hybrid model. Cricket Victoria, the Western Australia Cricket Association and Cricket Tasmania support private investment, which complicates decisions under the current six-member governance model.
“South Australia is in a mixed situation where they want some states to be able to take advantage of the opportunity to bring private capital, and some states to come later to their liking. Then we have three other states, Victoria, WA and Tasmania who are very strong and very supportive of the opportunity to bring private capital into their states. If you’re sitting in my place with the federal model and six members, that’s why it’s difficult.”
We have to do some deep analysis – Todd Greenberg
Despite New South Wales Cricket and Queensland Cricket halting 2027 valuation plans, Todd Greenberg said private investment is still possible. He said Cricket Australia would study a hybrid model where some states accept private capital and others do not.
“We’re trying to analyze what a different model might look like, and whether there’s a model where some states are taking private capital and some states are not,” Greenberg said. “We need to do some in-depth analysis to understand the implications for Australian cricket.”
Greenberg said global financial pressures could push Australian cricket towards private investment. He said Cricket Australia has planned rules to manage the risks and protect its systems.
“I think at some point in our lifetime private capital will come in. It’s inevitable if we’re going to compete with the rest of the world. Our whole project is about balancing the risks that come with it and making sure the controls are in place to bring private capital into Australian cricket, but also continue to operate the way the game has been governed and the way it should be governed. My personal view is it will happen at some point, I’m just not sure when.”
Cricket Australia will keep the Big Bash League unchanged until the 2026–27 season, with potential investment until 2027–28. The broadcast deal with the Seven Network and Foxtel runs until 2031.
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