The Big Bash League needs to make changes, but the recent fixture announcements are a step in the wrong direction.
Since BBL08, Australia’s T20 competition has seen a massive decrease in both attendance and TV viewing numbers. Since 2018 Big Bash attendance has decreased a whopping 29 per cent, so it is clear that changes need to happen.
The biggest criticism of BBL09 was the length of the season, with both players and fans complaining about how the competition seemed to drag on. Brisbane Heat captain Chris Lynn was an advocate of a shorter season in 2019, saying he thought “14 games is too many. You do get a few breaks in between, here and there, but it just drags out.”
Now Cricket Australia has announced the BBL10 fixture, which has the same amount of games over a longer period.
How does this make any sense?!
In announcing the new fixture, Cricket Australia said that they had taken on fans’ and teams’ feedback to boost a season ten schedule. Yet every fan on social media seems to be saying the asking the same question.
Why is this competition going on for so long!?
(Brett Hemmings – CA/Cricket Australia via Getty Images)
Lynn again showed his frustration at the fixture announcement, tweeting: “The golden goose has been cooked again,” before quickly deleting the post.
Lynn is not the only player to comment on the length of the BBL season, with Kevin Pietersen previously saying he believes that “greed will finish the BBL”. These are just two of the many players and coaches calling for a shorter season.
But instead of listening to these players, the Big Bash’s tenth season will have the same 61 games as BBL09.
Speaking to Aaron Finch earlier this year, he agreed with the comments of other players and spoke about how a longer season can dampen Australia’s T20 competition.
Finch spoke about how the competition going for so long means that it is extremely tough to get an international player to commit for an entire season, as there are so many other competitions occurring at the same time.
The BBL is competing with the Bangladesh T20 league, who are able to pay players higher salaries for fewer games. Competing against this league, as well as such a long season, makes it extremely hard for the BBL to get international stars to commit to a full season.
More international stars will mean more attention on the league. Fans want to see the best in the world come to Australia. Yet the best we got last year were these stars only being there for half a season.
With Indian players not being permitted to play in the BBL, due to the IPL’s restrictions, the BBL need to ensure that they are the premium destination for short-form cricketers in December.
A longer season does not help this.
Cricket Australia are now speaking about ways that they can increase attendance, through adding new rules such as free hits for bowling a wide.
But rather than penalise a bowler for missing by such a small margin, let’s make the change all both fans and players want and shorten the season.
Although I look forward to the upcoming BBL season, I feel like we will be sitting here in eight months thinking the same thing.
BBL10 just dragged on.
Julian King
Roar Guru
The full home and away stopped Mitchell Johnson from one last hurrah with the Scorchers.
Julian King
Roar Guru
Don't get me wrong, I think there's too much Big Bash. To be fair though, the new prolonged schedule (days, not matches) is to allow for some COVID wiggle room. Additionally, by best ensuring all matches get played, CA get full freight from the broadcasters. Average crowds are down yes, but total numbers are steady. Further, the schedule for BBL 10 allows for more prime time coverage. This is especially important if crowds are restricted or prohibited.
Micko
Roar Rookie
Literally can't remember one T20 match from another, let alone each season's winner???
Micko
Roar Rookie
Can the BBL just be canceled altogether? :silly:
JGK
Roar Guru
I was thinking more about the non-contracted players.
Julian King
Roar Guru
Of course CA will never grant those players a no-objection certificate.
Christo the Daddyo
Roar Rookie
True. But remember the TV audience is critical. But I wonder whether state travel restrictions will still be in place by the time it's due to kick off. Can the BBL be played in state hubs like the AFL is trying to do at the moment?
Rellum
Roar Guru
CA main revenue comes from crowds, sponsorship and TV broadcast deals. None of those have been affected as of yet(although I am not sure on the sponsorship side). They are meant to be a sport, not a corporation with a diversified investment portfolio. and they should have, as any business should, a backup plan. The NRL was supposed to have 50 mil in reserve for example. To not plan for that is an utter failure. You can talk about investment strategies all you like but in know why should they be shedding staff when their main form of income has not been affected. I think you are giving them far too much credit/slack.
Hammersteros
Guest
I feel tired and uninterested in it already. Too long and to much, lack of star power. Zzzzzzzzzz
Jeff
Roar Rookie
Depends on how much one comp (BPL) is prepared to "overpay" to create market interest (via international signings) in the hope that such investment will generate a high market share of audiences and subsequently lead to broadcaster investment. From recent reports, it seems that the BPL - even pre-Covid - had already over-reached in this regard.
Jeff
Roar Rookie
No, there is no guarantee re crowds; but CA has to make plans for some form of competition 5 months out. If there are ongoing restrictions on crowds come later in the year, likely CA will re-evaluate the schedule and adapt, as most businesses are doing at present on a month to month basis.
Jeff
Roar Rookie
Rellum, depends on a) where/how they invested their latent capital reserves and how these have been impacted by the Covid-affected economic changes and b) how CA's investment strategy for return on capital investment has been impacted by loss of the T20WC. Few businesses simply sit on large cash reserves ala Scrooge McDuck; most have an exposure to either equity-funding or debt-funding in order to facilitate future growth, a portion of which is pre-committed. So to characterise it as "up there with the worst ever administration performances of all time" is a little naive.
Rellum
Roar Guru
Has any BBL season left an impression?
Rellum
Roar Guru
For CA to be "likely to be in a financial world of hurt" because of the virus has to rank up there with the worst ever administration performances of all time. Not a single ball at home has affected by the virus so far. Even if the T20 World Cup is lost that should not put them in such financial strife to the point of maintaining/lengthening the BBL
Rellum
Roar Guru
There is no guarantee crowds will be allowed back in full by December btw.
AREH
Roar Guru
I reckon the comments on this piece and yesterday's say everything
Marty
Roar Rookie
61 games of watching grade level medium pacers getting slogged around the park. Can’t wait. Why don’t they just set up a bowling machine and be done with it.
jamesb
Roar Guru
I had to google to see the result and you are right, the Sixers did win. Geez, last seasons BBL has left a lasting impression. :shocked:
Jeff
Roar Rookie
Some good points Paul. 1) They have almost certainly lost the T20WC, so bringing forward the BBL may help fill that gap in CA's view 2) CA is probably banking on a market hungry for live cricket/sport, so again a reason to bring it forward as early as possible. 3) The length of the season feeling like it drags on has clearly been an issue with fans and players, but I wonder whether this feeling of it dragging on is because it has extended well into February; perhaps CA's view is that by bringing forward the start date, the comp won't feel as long, though I note the finals still push into Feb.
Paul D
Roar Rookie
I honestly can't remember. Let me think. I seem to recall a fizzer of a grand final where it was gonna be rained out but we wound up having a hack and slash shortened game and Eddie Mcguire's team lost it. Was in Sydney so would have to have been the Sixers that won last season