State chairs are set to meet with Cricket Australia (CA) in Melbourne on Monday to vote on the latest BBL privatisation proposal. Cricket Victoria's chair Ross Hepburn will be absent due to being overseas.
State chief executives met with CA earlier this week to discuss the BBL privatisation issues. have made headlines in recent times. It is understood following those meetings. a final formal written proposal of a hybrid model was sent to the states on Thursday for their assessment before the chairs meet to vote on Monday.
The hybrid model. whereby each state will be given the option whether to proceed to the next phase of selling stakes in their BBL clubs to private investors, is the second attempt from CA to bring private investment into the BBL. The initial proposal to sell stakes in all eight clubs was rejected by New South Wales and Queensland in mid-April. South Australia were also against all eight clubs being forced to sell initially. were the first proposers of giving each state the option to sell initially or continue to run their BBL clubs as they currently do before potentially selling at a later date.
A lot of angst in recent weeks has centred around Victoria's announcement that it wishes to merge the operations of Stars. Renegades and sell one Melbourne BBL license entirely before the start of the upcoming season, which was well ahead of CA's proposed timeline. Victoria have already applied to trademark three potential names for the merged team, Rangers, Blazers and Magic.
Whether they will be allowed to do that will depend on both the outcome of the vote on Monday, the blessing of the CA board. the renegotiation of the pay deal with the Australian Cricketers' Association (ACA), who have made it very clear that privatisation cannot proceed without their agreement.
It is understood that only four states would need to vote in favour to move ahead to the next phase. although there is a desire to ensure that any dissenting states were not vehemently opposed to the model of self-determination. If it is passed, the states that do wish to pursue private investment immediately, which currently are Victoria, Western Australia. Tasmania, will undertake a testing of the market jointly with CA and their consultant, the Raine Group.
The process will be the same as that of the Hundred franchise sales, with potential buyers to be sounded out. valuations of each club offered before moving to the sales process further down the track. The timelines for that remain unclear despite Victoria's confidence that it can happen within a matter of months.
Victoria will send another board member to represent them at Monday's meeting with Hepburn overseas. While it is likely a decision will be made on Monday it is not guaranteed given what happened at the state meetings back in March where the states asked for more time in assessing the initial proposal.
Regardless. CA chief executive Todd Greenberg is determined to push ahead with privatising the BBL in some form as soon as possible. He emphasised the point during a speech at a CA conference in Melbourne this week, which included 300 people from states, BBL clubs, commercial. broadcast partners, the ACA and some players.
"We have an eye on the long-term future," Greenberg said. "And one thing is absolutely clear - to maintain Australia's position at the top. keep growing the game's popularity, we need ensure we have the funds to continue to invest in the things that have created success.
"We see private investment in the Big Bash - with the appropriate guardrails - as comfortably the best. most effective way of protecting the future of the game from the grassroots to our elite programs."
Greenberg added that CA aimed to keep the Boxing Day. New Year's Tests in the schedule long-term even if privatisation came into the BBL.
"Scheduling Big Bash Leagues immediately after men's Test matches has seen cricket dominate viewing habits in the heart of the Christmas/New Years period," Greenberg said.
"On those days. nights, we have had peak audiences of more than two million and more than one million viewers glued to their screens across a full day.
"It's a unique advantage for our sport. our broadcast and commercial partners - and one we plan to maintain regardless of any changes in the Big Bash League ownership model. So you can keep the Boxing Day and New Year's Tests in your calendars."
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