Last Updated on 1 hour ago by Charbel Coorey
The Big Bash League (BBL) international draft could be a thing of the past. According to reports, domestic BBL players have been left frustrated that international players are earning upwards of $100,000 more than their local counterparts, with the current payment system favouring imports.
It has left Cricket Australia (CA) in a tricky predicament especially given progress has stalled with regards to privatising the BBL.
BBL player auction a possibility in the near future
According to CODE Sports, CA is expected to scrap its payment system to overseas players after productive talks with the Australian Cricketers’ Association (ACA). At the moment, top overseas signings earn a set $420,000 for the season – much greater than even the top Australian players.
One proposal is replacing the current draft with an IPL-style auction, giving teams the opportunity to decide how much they wish to pay imports. The thinking is that potentially less funds will be spent on overseas players, with the savings then passed on to domestic talent.
There is another view that there should be no draft or auction, leaving it to the clubs to negotiate deals directly with overseas players.
Regardless, attracting top overseas talent would remain a challenge for CA as the cashed-up SA20 – held during January – holds more buying power. Currently, CA is attempting to get the states to agree to a staggered privatisation plan, where four BBL clubs could be sold now, and the remaining four at a later time. A decision is expected in early June.
CEO Todd Greenberg is a firm believer in the need for private investment in the BBL as international cricket faces unprecedented pressure from T20 leagues.
“So on private capital, the concept is that there are global T20 leagues popping up all over the world. They’ve got significant funds; they’re paying players significant amounts of money,” he said in an interview with The Grade Cricketer earlier this year.
“If we want to compete, we’ve got to be in that conversation. Because otherwise what happens is your sport gets further away from having the best players. You talked about the best Australian players; 100%, you’re right, but we also want the best players globally to see us as a league they want to play in.”
