The Big Bash League has surprised both cricket and non-cricket fans alike. In just a few short seasons, it has moved from the back of the Australian sporting landscape – a mere obligatory cricket competition – to the forefront of the Aussie sporting conscience.
Last year it capitalised from a mightily successful Ashes series by Australia and this year has spring-boarded further, with the masses coming back for more.
Increased popularity has brought a higher level of imports through the doors of the clubs, with names like Kevin Pietersen and Jacques Kallis plying their trade with the Melbourne Stars and Sydney Thunder respectively.
Despite what traditional cricket tragics may wish, it has without a doubt given the sport a new lifeblood and brought a new breed of fan to the game.
Cricket is once again one of the most popular sports in the country, and while the BBL is one of the reasons for this, it needs to capitalise from it also.
Here are some easy ways the Big Bash League can expand itself, as well as cricket in Australia.
1. Take the games elsewhere
The great thing about cricket is that there are no state lines drawn – it is a sport loved by the whole country, all the way from outback Australia to the biggest cities.
This is why it is important that Cricket Australia embraces the entire nation, making sure as many areas as possible get access to some of the best cricketers in the country and the world. The AFL and NRL has done well to make sure there are a certain number of games a year played in smaller cities and towns such as Cairns and Darwin, and this is the direction the BBL needs to head in.
Unfortunately, considering the season is only eight home-and-away games for each team, it will likely require a two-game extension.
2. Expand the number of teams
It was around this point in the competition’s history that new teams were introduced to the Indian Premier League, and the BBL should start to consider bids from cities all over the country for the entry of another team or two into the competition for 2017 or 2018.
There are plenty of untapped markets all over the land that could sustainably suit another BBL franchise, and the league should start sounding out now where the future teams may possibly lie. The Gold Coast, Newcastle and Canberra should all be considered.
3. Raise the salary and import cap-marquee player bonus
Some of the increase in revenue in the league needs to make its way back through the clubs, meaning that there should be a salary cap rise.
As mentioned earlier, the BBL has already shown it’s ability to attract big names this year such as Kevin Pietersen, Jacques Kallis and Andrew Flintoff. More money means more stars, and clubs themselves can be compensated by the league for attracting anyone who is deemed to be a marquee world cricket star, creating further incentive for clubs to put the work in to find a superstar.
4. Make the season longer
One of the advantages of the BBL is the fact that it is short and sweet and doesn’t require a big, long, repetitive regular season before finals action begins. This is an important thing to keep alive within the league, so when extending the league, we are talking in weeks, not months.
Perhaps one more home-and-away fixture for each team in the league, and league games spaced out every other night or every three nights as opposed to every single night.
5. Start links with New Zealand and South Africa
While one of the great things about the BBL is that it’s quintessentially Australian, cricket is a world game. Plenty of the world’s greatest players reside outside of Australia, and as of late, a lot of them in South Africa and New Zealand.
While I am not proposing any kind of immediate links be drawn up with our neighbours to the west and east, a trial match here or there taken over or a one-off match drawn up between the BBL champions and the champions of New Zealand’s HRV Cup would bode well for the sport and league both domestically and abroad.
Squidward
Roar Rookie
Amen to that!
Squidward
Roar Rookie
You got to. DST is the highlight of the summer!
Working Class Rugger
Guest
I'm not a fan of T20 as a regular international game. I think it's better suited as a domestic league. If they must have a World Cup then fine but I really don't want them to do it to death like what was occurring to ODIs.
Paul D
Roar Guru
I actually don't mind seeing people here getting all hot and bothered about delayed telecasts. Maybe it will convince some of the flat-earthers up here to vote for daylight savings next time we get the chance.
Squidward
Roar Rookie
I'm surprised how much I like the bbl as not a huge fan of short form. But I prefer it to t20 int and ODI It's great having it on most to every night. And usually getting a good game. Much prefer it to having to flick off the block or mkr or Big Bang. It's refreshing like the commentators And have even found myself buying sixers merch at the scg
Squidward
Roar Rookie
Treating queenslanders crap is one of my favourite traits in a person
Working Class rugger
Guest
The BBL does seem to be a resounding success if you take crowds and ratings into account. What I find most pleasing is that state players who otherwise would play in front of a couple of hundred people are now out there in front of thousands and a million more on TV. Regarding the five points. 1. Despite the fun name and smiles on the faces of the players (which is good to see they are enjoying their cricket). The BBL is actually a serious league that sold into foreign markets that require it to be played in the best available facilities. That really does limit the locales. Outside of the capital cities there are few if any grounds appropriate for those purposes. 2. If they were to expand the league within the next 5 years it should only be by 1 in the form of Canberra. After that it should be some time down the path and only if the facilities are available. 3. The salary cap for this years BBL is $1.2m with a $20,000 minimum. So each player is earning at least $20,000 for 6 weeks work. None too bad. There's maximum for the top end as long as it comes in within cap restrictions. It appears to have gone from $1.05m last season. I'm not adverse to players earning more. I think a $50,000 minimum would be fair enough in the future when you consider the ratings. The games have been averaging between 1-1.3m viewers a night which over the 35 games leads to a cumulative 35-45.5 m viewers. If it ran for as long as the major football codes it would blow them out of the water. When you consider the salaries on offer in those codes $50,000 is more than reasonable. 4. This years BBL will be two weeks longer taking it to 8 weeks. That's as long as it should get. Short, sharp, entertaining cricket is why its going gangbusters. It needs to stay that way. Even if there were 10-12 teams no more than 8 weeks. 5. There's no reason to involve anyone else. Keep it simple.
Mike from Tari
Guest
BBL is crap, if Ch10 treat Qlders like crap then the game is crap.
slane
Guest
Agreed 100% loving it.
kathleen lopes
Guest
My husband and I (both very mature folk) watch the Big Batch every night regardless of which teams are playing. In the summer when TV programmes are dreadful this is a first port of call. The players smile, laugh and are pleasant unlike the test matches where they snap and snarl and are very unlikable. Small children watching the sledging will think that is the way adults should behalf towards one another, whereas the Big Bash does not make that kind of point. Also it runs for a certain number of hours and both teams have had a shot at winning. I like the Big Bash long may it continue.
Paul D
Roar Guru
I can’t see games being moved away from the major cities anytime soon. They have broadcast deals, they need pitches of a certain quality and a certain standard of lighting. Outside of the major stadiums, that’s going to be hard to find. Also, all the bums on seats are there. New teams are a possibility – maybe 2 more, but give it time to settle in first. Not the Gold Coast. That place is a modern day Siren Song for sporting codes the length and breadth of the country. They go in, thinking that there’s hundreds of thousands of eyeballs, only to realise most of the people who live there don’t give a damn about sport, and they wind up dashed upon the rocks of economic ruin. I disagree totally with suggestion 4, sorry. The big appeal I think, is that there is a game on every night. People can tune in at any time knowing that there’s cricket on. You start spacing games out, it’s going to mess with the other scheduling even more, not to mention lose momentum. NZ and South Africa have their own competitions. Maybe start tinkering with ours in a few years once it’s bedded down and a proven, sustained success, but for the moment why mess with a winning formula?
Simoc
Guest
The BBL is excellent entertainment and the crowds are very good. I see absolutely zero merit in any of your ideas at least in the next few years. The product is a copy of the successful IPL and we get a great blend of new players, shield players and overseas stars in each game. We just need better wickets as always. Its interesting that Adelaide are in front from use of their spinners and our commentators are seeking a nearly all pace attack for the ODIs. Spin is the way to go. Take the speed off and make the batsmen hit.
Gurudoright
Guest
Adding a team in the Gold Cost could be a good thing despite it being a sporting graveyard for clubs in the past. There is a good stadium up there in Metricon Stadium. The fact that the Gold Coast explodes with holiday makers during the summer holidays, it is a entertainment alternative at night. Not all of the tourists up on the coast this time of the year would be from capital cities which all have teams. By having a Gold Coast team, it allows for people who don't usually have a chance to go to a game a new opportunity to do so and bring in new fans