IPL owners eye BBL teams, but CA faces a tough sell

Cricket Australia’s (CA) decision to permit private investment in certain franchises in the Big Bash League (BBL) has got the Indian Premier League (IPL) franchises interested. But has it got them seriously excited? One is not so sure.

CA confirmed to Cricbuzz that there have been expressions of interest from IPL owners as well as other Indian investors. It did not go into specifics, but the usual suspects in the IPL ecosystem are believed to be among those considering the opportunity. Approached by Cricbuzz, none of them, however, has confirmed their interest.

CA has engaged the Raine Group to oversee the project. The US-based merchant bank had presided over the blockbuster sale of The Hundred franchises in England last year, which perhaps explains why CEO Todd Greenberg has ambitiously described the BBL privatisation as a "billion-dollar opportunity" for the sport in Australia.

But IPL teams see some red flags in CA’s terms. At this juncture, only the Melbourne Renegades are available for 100 per cent acquisition, with the process being overseen by CA rather than Cricket Victoria. The sale is expected to be completed by Christmas, but the challenge for the prospective owners is that they will have to build a brand-new team without inheriting an existing fan base.

As for other teams, reportedly Hobart Hurricanes and Perth Scorchers will go for sale next. WACA is yet to call a meeting of the general body to take a view of the members on divestment but that is an internal matter. The vexing issue is the future sale will be limited only to 49 per cent.

Normally, the IPL franchises look for control which the CA does not want to cede. Its chairman Mike Baird importantly stated, “CA and its members will maintain control over the most significant aspects of Australian Cricket operations, including international scheduling, player availability, the Big Bash Leagues salary caps, branding proposals as well as the reserve price for a licence to operate that must be achieved, and approval of investors.”

In SA20, ILT20, CPL and even MLC, IPL teams have full ownership of their franchises. The Hundred is slightly different. The Sun Group-owned SRH has a 100 per cent stake in Sunrisers Leeds, while LSG owner Sanjiv Goenka’s RPSG Group has acquired a 70 per cent stake in Manchester Super Giants. MI’s Reliance and DC’s GMR own 49 per cent each of MI London and Southern Brave but exercise operational control.

GMR, incidentally, also owns Hampshire County. The co-owners of Delhi Capitals, it may be recalled, had explored the possibility of investing in Sydney and Cricket New South Wales, a development that Cricbuzz had first reported in January 2025. During the fifth and final BGT Test, GMR representatives were in Sydney for discussions on a potential collaboration with Cricket NSW.

It now transpires that Cricket NSW is opposed to the idea of private investment and may not even nominate Baird to Cricket Australia (CA) for the chairmanship next time around. Evidently, Baird and Cricket NSW differ on the presence of private parties in the BBL. But, again, that is an internal matter and what IPL teams appear to be looking at is other factors – such as media rights valuation, availability of Australian stars, international players, logistics and union issues.

Unlike the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB), which had kept the Hundred window free of international cricket, CA is not giving the same assurances. Normally, the BBL and international cricket are held concurrently in Australia. That is not being viewed as an ideal arrangement by the IPL teams as there are no guarantees of the participation of the Australian stars in the BBL.

Pat Cummins, for instance, has featured in only seven BBL games since 2016. In the same period, he has played 76 IPL matches. Contrast that with the situation in India, where the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) ensures the availability of all contracted and marquee players for the IPL. MS Dhoni (149), Virat Kohli (160), Rohit Sharma (153) and Jasprit Bumrah (141) have rarely missed an IPL game in this period.

There is also no clarity on availability of international players, something the IPL owners want. Taxation in Australia is apparently considerably higher than in countries like South Africa, UAE and Bangladesh, whose leagues clash with the BBL. International players may therefore prefer those leagues to the BBL.

Travel is another major issue. A team travelling to Perth could face a five-to six-hour journey. In South Africa, where IPL teams own all six franchises, the maximum travel time between host cities is just over two hours. It is not as much in England, UAE and in the Caribbean.

The other major factor is the media rights situation. CA is currently in the middle of a seven-year deal, of which only three years have elapsed. The IPL teams are also looking closely at the influence of the Australian Cricketers Association (ACA) in Australian cricket.

The upside to the whole project is the feedback that most BBL teams are apparently making profits and that could be the reason why there is no consensus within CA about private money. The IPL owners, who have a presence in almost all the major franchise leagues around the world, barring the Pakistan Super League besides, of course, the BBL, are sure to weigh this positive factor as well.

But an IPL insider summed up the whole issue seeking flexibility from CA. “The ECB was difficult; CA is five times tougher to negotiate with.” The CA may have to offer more than it is willing to, to turn the BBL privatisation project into a billion dollar opportunity.

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