Usman Khawaja urges Cricket Australia CEO to privatize BBL

• Usman told CA CEO to privatize BBL or be left behind.
• IPL has already invested in a number of leagues.
• CA decided to pay $340000 to top-tier players in next year’s drought.

Usman Khawaja has told Nick Hockley, the CEO of Cricket Australia, that the BBL must switch to private ownership or be left behind.

The ownership structure of clubs remains a big issue in the BBL, with Cricket NSW and Queensland this week voicing their support for the private ownership shift.

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Despite a decade-long debate and subcontinental interest in privatization, all eight clubs are now owned by Cricket Australia and managed by state organizations.

IPL franchises have already invested in leagues in the Caribbean, South Africa, and the United Arab Emirates, with the UAE’s competition clashing with the BBL and giving more profitable returns.

A similar concept would help the Big Bash to increase its financial pull on players, attracting more overseas talent. Khawaja, a director of the Australian Cricketers’ Association, has supported the move.

“I personally think the BBL, if it wants to grow and be fair dinkum about it, we do need to think about privatizing it,” said Khawaja, speaking at Australia’s Test camp in Sri Lanka. “The BBL has been set up as a really good tournament for a long time but I genuinely think that’s the next evolution.

“And I’ve had chats with Nick Hockley about this – I literally chatted to him about it two weeks ago – and I think he’s on a very similar page. At some stage, CA’s got to let go of the reins a little bit.

“If that means doing it over a five-year plan, the ball’s got to start rolling sooner rather than later. Because…if we’re not careful we’re going to be left behind, and you don’t want to do that because the BBL is a great product.”

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CA has long considered privatization, but fears grassroots cricket will suffer and clubs won’t risk young players.

Khawaja’s comments came days after CA announced an overseas player draught for next year. Top-tier foreign players would be paid $340,000 but not compelled to stay for the whole tournament.

Khawaja is concerned that, despite being available for the entire competition, local players will be paid less due to the league’s salary cap.

“You’ve got lots of great local players who also should be on similar amounts to what the overseas players are, but they can’t be because of the salary cap,” Khawaja said. “The only way you’re going to increase the salary cap is to privatize it.

“Privatisation also brings in a lot of great things from outside, because once there’s money at stake for owners, they’ll try to do their best to give everything for that franchise.

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“Right now it’s sort of going and progressing, but I don’t think it’s innovating as much as it should be as far as the franchisees themselves.”