Cricket Australia (CA) is exploring new financial options after Queensland Cricket joined New South Wales Cricket in rejecting plans to sell Big Bash League franchise stakes to private investors. This decision has ended the board’s push for league-wide privatization before the 2027 season.
Queensland Cricket had earlier asked for more time to review the proposal during a board meeting held two weeks ago. However, it informed chair Mike Baird and CEO Todd Greenberg on Wednesday that it fully rejected the plan, opposing any form of privatization moving forward.
Queensland Cricket Rejects Big Bash League (BBL) Privatization Proposal
Queensland Cricket released an official statement on Thursday, confirming its final decision on the privatization issue. Queensland prefers to work with Cricket Australia through alternative models instead of selling minority stakes in the Brisbane Heat to private investors.
“We have informed Cricket Australia that we will not be moving to the next phase of the sales process. Instead, we wish to continue to find ways to work with Cricket Australia to grow the Big Bash Leagues in Australia and make it one of the best T20 competitions throughout the world, without selling a minority share in the Brisbane Heat,” a Queensland Cricket statement said.
The statement added that officials reviewed the proposal in detail. Queensland Cricket thanked Cricket Australia and said it will focus on grassroots participation and overall growth of the sport across Queensland and Australia.
“Queensland Cricket has completed an exhaustive due diligence process over the past several months, and we thank Cricket Australia for the additional time to complete this. Queensland Cricket remains focused on promoting and growing the game across Queensland and throughout Australia to accelerate participation in our sport.”
NSW And Queensland Are Not Supportive Of Private Capital – Todd Greenberg
After rejections from New South Wales Cricket and Queensland Cricket, Todd Greenberg spoke to the media on Thursday. He said that Australian state associations are divided on allowing private investment in their Big Bash League teams.
“NSW and Queensland are certainly not supportive of private capital. NSW have an alternative model to self-fund it. Queensland don’t have an alternative model, but they don’t believe private capital is something for them,” Greenberg said on Thursday.
Greenberg added that the South Australian Cricket Association supports a hybrid model. Cricket Victoria, Western Australia Cricket Association, and Cricket Tasmania support private investment, which complicates decisions under the current six-member governance model.
“South Australia are in a hybrid situation where they would like the ability for some states to be able to take the opportunity to bring private capital in, and some states to come later at their choice. Then we’ve got 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 shoes with the federated model and six members, that’s why it’s difficult.”
We Would Have To Get Some Deep Analysis – Todd Greenberg
Despite New South Wales Cricket and Queensland Cricket stopping the 2027 valuation plans, Todd Greenberg said that private investment is still likely. He said that Cricket Australia will study hybrid models where some states accept private capital and others do not.
“We move to trying to analyse what a different model might look like, and is there a model where some states are taking private capital and some states aren’t,” Greenberg said. “We would have to get some deep analysis to understand the impacts on Australian cricket.”
Greenberg said that global financial pressure may push Australian cricket toward private investment. He added that Cricket Australia had planned rules to manage risks and protect its system.
“I do think at some point in our lifetimes that private capital will come in. If we’re going to compete with the rest of the world it is inevitable. Our whole project has been about balancing the risks that come with that and making sure the controls are in place for Australian cricket to bring private capital in but continue to operate the way the game has been governed and 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 possible investment from 2027-28. The broadcast deal with Seven Network and Foxtel runs until 2031.
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