‘Best and most effective way’: Cricket Australia boss triples down on BBL sell-off

Cricket Australia chief executive Todd Greenberg has declared that selling stakes in Big Bash League clubs is “comfortably the best and most effective way” to preserve Australian cricket’s future – with backing from the game’s broadcasters.

In his first extensive public comments since Cricket Victoria’s dramatic decision to merges its two BBL clubs to leave a “clean licence” for sale, Greenberg set the scene for the next round of negotiations around the future of the BBL.

A meeting between Greenberg, players union boss Paul Marsh and state CEOs is set down for Wednesday. CA chair Mike Baird is then due to oversee a meeting with state chairs in Melbourne on June 15, where a “self-determination model” for privatisation will be discussed. Cricket NSW is also seeking to discuss its “alternative strategy” for raising cricket’s commercial value without selling stakes.

As a prelude, around 300 delegates gathered at the MCG for a CA conference dubbed “The Edge”, drawing together cricket staff, sponsors, players and broadcasters. Greenberg, who alongside Baird had been grilled about their knowledge of CV’s actions by state chiefs last week, made his position clear in the opening address.

“The potential is vast, but we have to have an eye on the long-term future,” he said.

“And one thing is absolutely clear – to maintain Australia’s position at the top and keep growing the game’s popularity, we need to 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 and most effective way of protecting the future of the game from the grassroots to our elite programs.

“Importantly, our discussions have been collaborative and well-informed. Of course they will get robust at times, but everyone in those rooms is passionate about ensuring cricket remains an important part of Australian life.”

In terms of the future shape of the Australian summer, Greenberg discussed the high value of the “mega days” where the Boxing Day and New Year’s Tests are immediately followed by BBL games. He assured the audience that, for this reason, the traditional MCG and SCG Tests were in no danger of disappearing.

“It’s a unique advantage for our sport and our broadcast and commercial partners – and one we plan to maintain regardless of any changes in the Big Bash League ownership model,” Greenberg said. “So you can keep the Boxing Day and New Year’s Tests in your calendars.”

Greenberg also rejected the idea that CA had been talking down cricket’s financial position to force through privatisation plans.

“No doubt you will have seen or read some recent media reports about the prospect of bringing private capital into our Big Bash clubs,” Greenberg told the room.

“As you will appreciate, we work in a stakeholder-rich environment and driving consensus is never an easy task.

“But we are continuing discussions with our state partners to find the best way forward – and we will always place the interests of the game at the forefront of every decision we make.

“We are certainly not talking down cricket’s current prosperity and its vast potential. Cricket is bigger and more popular than it’s ever been. That’s the result of a huge amount of work and planning around high performance, pathways, promotion, event presentation and participation programs – and thanks to the brilliant partners and clubs we have in the room today.”

Those partners include Foxtel and Seven, which asserted their favourable views of privatisation in a late-afternoon panel session.

Cricket rights, the broadcasters said, had the potential to be far more valuable with the help of private investment in teams that ensured the best players would take the field in Australia.

They discussed the BBL in the context of competition from the privatised leagues in South Africa and the UAE, which currently offer higher top rates of pay for marquee players.

Delegates were also addressed by Jason Schretter of the Raine Group, which was a key player in the ECB’s sale of stakes in the Hundred competition, and has more recently been advising CA and the states on BBL sale plans. Schretter was open in his view of cricket as a rich investment possibility for private capital.

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