Cricket Victoria is poised to dissolve the independent boards of the Melbourne Stars and Melbourne Renegades and take control of the state’s Big Bash franchises.
The stunning move comes just three months after the Stars and Renegades played an all-Victorian final at the climax of BBL season 8.
At a board meeting last week, Cricket Victoria resolved to break the foundation model to have the two licenses operated by separate and independent boards maximizing the commercial opportunities and fostering competition between the two teams.
By every measure that model has proven a success.
But now, as the owner of the licenses, Cricket Victoria intends to bring the two operations in-house.
It’s a move that raises significant questions as to how the Stars and Renegades would compete with each other on and off the field.
And carries with it fears that millions of dollars in established sponsorships would be put at risk.
This scenario had been investigated previously by Cricket Victoria and rejected.
But now, with the governing body set to restructure and cut millions of dollars from its budget, control of the BBL franchises will be taken.
It appears the increased costs associated with last season’s expanded BBL has played a role in CV’s financial position.
My understanding is Cricket Victoria is yet to inform the board of either the Stars or the Renegades that they will no longer be required.
Eddie McGuire (Stars) and Jason Dunstall (Renegades) are the respective chairs of those boards.