Copeland: Why BBL privatization will be good for cricket

The Sydney Thunder’s General Manager, Trent Copeland has given his thoughts as to whether Cricket Australia will allow for the privatisation of the Big Bash League.

CA commissioned a report from the Boston Consulting Group (BCG), which was partially released in July, to investigate how the governing body could optimise the domestic T20 competition, which is now entering its 15th season.

In their recommendations, they included allowing the selling of minority and majority stakes in all eight sides, which the state cricketing associations currently own.

Since then, CA has explored the potential ramifications of going through with this action, with it being predicted that it could yield CA around $400 million to reinvest.

And according to the former fast bowler for Australia, he holds the view that it is likely to go through, believing that it will help the sport going forward.

“I think it is a matter of when, not if,” Copeland suggested on SEN 1170’s Boys of Summer.

“Largely, I think it will be good for cricket in this country, and when I say cricket, I mean all forms of cricket and the future of cricket.

“Who knows in what shape or form that may take, and there is a million different things being explored and considered.

“It’s not just a financial discussion, we’re in a leverage discussion on player access and not becoming this sort of tier two league in the future, if we are left behind and New Zealand has taken this up or something like that.”

Copeland also explained that if Cricket Australia allowed for privatisation within the competition, it would help them improve the quality of players featured.

“If I’m in a conversation at the moment with a player that is not currently signed but is aligned with an IPL franchise that has a team in the SA20, well, January is out of the question if they want them there,” he continued.

“So, those are the sort of things that we need to be a player in that market."

The BBL gets underway on December 14 when the Perth Scorchers and the Sydney Sixers play each other at Optus Stadium.

SEN will have LIVE coverage of every game played throughout the season, with coverage of the season opener starting at 7pm AEDT (4pm local time).