Cricket NSW has condemned Cricket Australia’s decision to introduce private investment into the Big Bash League, warning that the move could weaken funding for grassroots cricket across the country.
The criticism came a day after CA approved the sale of the Melbourne Renegades and endorsed a wider “self-determination” model under which state associations may decide whether to seek private investment in their clubs.
Cricket NSW, whose board includes the Sydney Sixers and Sydney Thunder, said the decision had been taken without agreement across Australian cricket. It also questioned the process that led to the announcement, made in Sydney by CA chairman Mike Baird and chief executive Todd Greenberg.
“This decision risks leaving cricket in NSW and Australia strategically and financially worse off, with direct consequences for our ability to invest in grassroots cricket,” the state association said.
Cricket NSW said the profits generated by its two successful Big Bash clubs were reinvested in participation and development programmes. It pointed to an 80 per cent rise in cricket involvement among children aged five to 12 over the past four years, and said one-third of contracted players across Australia came from NSW.
The association said four conditions unanimously agreed by state chairs in June had not been met before CA proceeded. Those conditions included agreement on governance, player arrangements and the future distribution of revenue between CA and the states.
Cricket Australia presses ahead with Renegades sale
CA has invited bids for the entire licence to operate the men’s and women’s Renegades teams, with new ownership expected to take effect from the 2027-28 Big Bash and Women’s Big Bash League seasons.
The club will be run by CA in caretaker mode during the coming summer, meaning the 2026-27 competitions will continue with the Renegades operating under their existing identity. The sale process is expected to begin shortly, with investment bank Raine Group understood to be assisting with the search for buyers.
CA has said it will retain control over international scheduling, player availability, salary caps and media rights. It will also have the power to approve or reject investors and veto proposed changes to the Renegades’ name, colours or branding.
Baird defended the model, saying private investors would have a role in the day-to-day operation of the competition but that CA would retain authority over its core protections and schedule.
“We’re not saying there aren’t risks,” he said. “You’ve got to be practical and realistic there.”
Cricket NSW nevertheless argued that bringing external investors into the competition could reduce the funds available to state associations and create lasting consequences for community cricket, volunteers and player pathways.
The disagreement has persisted despite a series of meetings between CA and Cricket NSW, including discussions attended by Baird, Greenberg and the NSW board. Neither side was persuaded to abandon its position, leaving Australia’s largest cricket state opposed to the first major step towards private ownership of the Big Bash.
