New Delhi, July 30 (IANS) Private ownership and expansion of the Big Bash leagues are among the recommendations that were given to Cricket Australia (CA), as they look for next steps in the evolution of the leagues.

The CA Board commissioned the Boston Consulting Group to consult with experts and stakeholders from across CA, Australian Cricket and around the world and provide recommendations for the next phase of the BBL and WBBL evolution.

In a statement on Wednesday, CA revealed the recommendations it has received from BCG. The first one talks about attracting the world’s top players and enhancing Australian player availability through an optimised schedule, including a later start to the BBL season, and a higher salary cap;

It is followed by different operating models and administrative structures, potential for expansion, and recommendation of alternative forms of investment and ownership to realise the potential for growth, including consideration of private investment.

As of now, BBL and WBBL teams are by CA and the states, while franchise leagues worldwide like the Indian Premier League (IPL), South Africa’s SA20, USA’s Major League Cricket (MLC) and the ILT20 in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) are by major Indian companies.

CA added the report will now be subject to a thorough exploratory process before any decisions are made about the potential implementation of recommendations, and any associated timelines.

“We will work closely with the States and Territories, the Big Bash clubs, the players and our broadcast and commercial partners to consider the recommendations on how this value can be unlocked.”

“It is very important to understand that no decisions have yet been made, and that any action taken will be for the benefit of the BBL, WBBL, fans and Australian Cricket more broadly. That would include providing strong benefits across the game including investment in participation initiatives and player development,” said Mike Baird, CA Chairman.

Recently, the sales of 49 per cent minority stakes in eight of England’s The Hundred teams attracted interest from Indian T20 franchise league owners, American tech giants and private equity firms. WBBL’s next season will happen from November 9 to December 13, before the BBL takes place from December 14 to January 25, 2026.

“Over the past 15 years the Big Bash Leagues have set the standard in Australian sport for innovation and fan engagement and the BCG Report is a strong validation of all the work done across Australian Cricket to achieve this success. As well as creating amazing fan experiences, under its current operating model the League and its clubs are valuable assets with significant potential for growth.”

“The success of the T20 format has been a huge boost for the game globally in attracting new audiences and increasing participation. We need to ensure that the Big Bash remains among the world’s top sporting competitions.”

“We will now undertake an exploratory process of the recommendations in this report to ensure any action we take achieves this potential and is in the best interests of Australian Cricket and cricket fans,” added Todd Greenberg, CA CEO.

–IANS

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