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CA boss seeks to calm tensions after Victoria’s ‘not ideal’ BBL move

Aaryan Patel · 04/06/2026 · 3 min read

CA Boss Seeks to Calm Tensions After Victoria’s ‘Not Ideal’ BBL Move

Cricket Australia (CA) chief executive Todd Greenberg has said the timing of Cricket Victoria’s announcement that it intends to merge Melbourne Stars and Renegades in the event of private investment “was not ideal” following a hastily arranged conference call with chief executives and chairs of the five other states on Thursday.

Background

New South Wales, Queensland and South Australia had pushed for a call with CA to urgently discuss the revelations that came to light on Tuesday that Victoria planned to merge the administrative operations of Stars and Renegades under a new name and new colours for next season while selling off the second BBL license 100% to a private investor as soon as CA could approve going to market.

Victoria’s revelations on Tuesday sparked chaos with a number of other states and the Australian Cricketers’ Association (ACA) expressing major concerns about the move given CA was not due to confirm the next phase of their hybrid privatisation model until after state executives meet next week in Melbourne and chairs the following week. Nothing can proceed until there is approval from the CA board and negotiations with the ACA.

Discussions and Concerns

Every state chief executive and chair, bar Victoria’s CEO Nick Cummins and chair Ross Hepburn who were not invited, sat on a call with CA on Thursday to discuss concerns over Victoria’s plans and where the BBL privatisation proposal was at.

SEN reported that Cummins had earlier sent an email to the other states explaining his decision in an attempt to build bridges.

ESPNcricinfo understands that a number of states voiced their concerns about Victoria’s move to Greenberg and CA chair Mike Baird but there was a general consensus to stay the course and have further in-person discussions meetings in Melbourne next week as originally planned.

CA’s Response

“We had productive discussions with several State chairs and CEOs today to ensure talks about the possible inclusion of private investment in the Big Bash Leagues remain fully aligned,” Greenberg said in a statement.

“The timing of the news about Cricket Victoria’s intentions in the event of private investment was not ideal. But we understand their challenges.

“It is very important to restate that Cricket Australia, the States and the ACA all have the best interests of Australian Cricket at heart, and we will continue discussions to find the best way forward.”

State Positions

NSW and Queensland had initially rejected CA’s privatisation proposal in April which had stalled CA’s process and left Victoria frustrated. NSW remains committed to pushing a self-funding model and believes private investment is not necessary for the BBL.

South Australia has been hesitant and led the push for the hybrid model that CA is set to adopt where some states could initially take up the option of selling stakes in their franchises while others could do so at a later date. Western Australia and Tasmania leaders also joined the call despite being in favour of CA’s proposal to sell 49% of their franchises.

Aaryan Patel

Aaryan Patel is the Youth Cricket Editor for Cricbuzz, where he tracks emerging talent, U‑19 World Cup storylines, and the hidden gems of India’s domestic cricket circuit. A Mumbai native, Aaryan turned a teenage obsession with junior cricket scorecards into a career, securing a PG diploma from Symbiosis and quickly becoming the go‑to voice for everything from U‑16 trials to IPL auction watchlists. He hosts The Pipeline, a weekly podcast that breaks down performances in the Cooch Behar Trophy, Vinoo Mankad, and age‑group tours, while also writing features on the mental pressures faced by young athletes. His work has been credited with putting several U‑19 stars onto the national radar months before official recognition.