Cricket Australia is considering growing the Big Bash League to 10 teams, but only if a contested plan to sell stakes in some existing franchises wins approval. The governing body's board convened on Wednesday to push forward a compromise "hybrid" ownership model, after an earlier proposal for full privatisation of the league was rejected in April.
That original scheme was blocked when New South Wales and Queensland joined forces against Cricket Australia's push. In response, South Australia put forward an alternative: allowing each of the eight BBL clubs to choose whether to sell a stake, rather than forcing the issue across the board.
What changed since the April rejection?
Cricket Australia has reportedly built stronger backing for the revised sale model in the months since, though it is not certain the plan will be formally voted on by the board this week. Once the board signs off, the sale process would still need support from four of the six state associations to proceed. Victoria, Western Australia and Tasmania are already understood to be firmly behind the move.
Who is interested in buying in?
Cricket Australia has hired the US-based investment bank Raine Group to oversee any sale and has been gauging market appetite. Big Bash executives met with several Indian Premier League and Hundred franchise owners during a visit to England last month, and those conversations have reportedly strengthened Cricket Australia's belief that current investors are seriously interested in acquiring stakes in the competition. Early valuations prepared by Raine are believed to suggest individual franchises could fetch as much as $200m.
That level of investor enthusiasm has already sparked internal talks about expanding the competition beyond its current eight teams, although Cricket Australia has not yet settled on where new franchises might be based, and such discussions remain at a preliminary stage.
How does this compare with cricket's other franchise sales?
The England and Wales Cricket Board previously raised close to $1bn by selling stakes in its eight Hundred franchises last year, with four of those going to owners who already held IPL teams. Cricket Australia, however, is not expected to replicate the ECB's approach of a single mass auction. Instead, each state would be able to pursue a sale of its own franchise independently, on a piecemeal basis.
Signs of Indian commercial interest in the Big Bash are already visible elsewhere in the competition's scheduling: next season's curtain-raiser between the Melbourne Renegades and Perth Scorchers is being staged in Chennai. Cricket Victoria, meanwhile, has said publicly that it wants to sell a stake in its franchise and is understood to be courting Indian investors specifically, even as the state association continues to run the Melbourne Stars.
What other growth options are on the table?
According to a report by the Sydney Morning Herald, Cricket Australia's wider strategic review is examining both privatisation and expansion as parallel pathways to growth, with the findings due in September. The same report named Canberra, New Zealand and Singapore as locations that have been discussed as possible sites for new franchises. Separately, ESPNcricinfo has reported that expansion discussions have also touched on adding an extra home fixture for each team, which would lift the regular season to 10 qualifying matches per side and 40 games overall before the finals.
How does this fit the league's history?
Expansion has been debated within Australian cricket for years without action. Cricket Australia had previously ruled out adding teams before its 2017–18 broadcast deal expired, according to Cricket.com.au. The most recent significant change came in 2017, when the league increased its regular-season schedule from 32 to 40 matches while keeping the number of teams at eight, as reported by SBS News.
What happens next?
The next major milestone is the delivery of Cricket Australia's broader review, expected in September, which will address both privatisation and expansion options before being passed to state association chairs for action, per the Sydney Morning Herald. The 2026–27 Big Bash season is currently scheduled to run from 12 December 2026 to 26 January 2027, according to Wikipedia's season records, giving Cricket Australia a defined window in which to implement any structural changes.
Key Facts
- Cricket Australia's board met on Wednesday to advance a hybrid franchise-sale model after April's full-privatisation plan was blocked by New South Wales and Queensland.
- Four of six state associations must back the plan for a sale process to begin; Victoria, Western Australia and Tasmania are already supportive.
- Raine Group has been appointed to run the sale, with early valuations reportedly reaching up to $200m per franchise.
- Canberra, New Zealand and Singapore have been floated as possible expansion locations, according to the Sydney Morning Herald.
- Cricket Australia's full review findings are expected in September, ahead of the 2026–27 season starting 12 December 2026.
