BBL clubs merger plan sparks urgent talks among state boards in 2026

Cricket Victoria proposes merging Stars and Renegades and selling the second BBL license, prompting protests from other states and player anxiety.

Cricket Victoria's merger proposal Tuesday’s announcement that Cricket Victoria intends to merge the Melbourne Stars and Renegades under a new name and colors, while selling the second Big Bash League franchise to a private owner, has sparked widespread chaos and confusion throughout Australian cricket. The plan, which also involves transferring the second BBL license entirely to a private operator, has drawn strong reactions from multiple state associations. Insiders report that New South Wales officials are particularly upset by the proposal and convened a conference call with South Australia and Queensland on Wednesday — two other states expressing concerns about the privatization push — before requesting an unscheduled meeting with Cricket Australia on Thursday. ## NSW concerns and unannounced meetings The New South Wales board was not informed of executives’ travel to Chennai, where representatives from Cricket Australia, the Big Bash League, Victoria, Western Australia and Tasmania gathered. Those leaders met both to finalize plans for a Big Bash match in Chennai and to discuss potential private investment in clubs from the visiting states as part of Cricket Australia’s hybrid privatization strategy. New South Wales has repeatedly sought a formal meeting with Cricket Australia beyond the face-to-face discussion between Cricket Australia chair Mike Baird and NSW chair John Knox on May 11, during which they proposed self-funding the BBL without private investment, but say they have yet to receive a response. State executives are scheduled to meet in Melbourne ahead of the chairs’ meeting on June 15. ## ACA warns of fractured cricket future Paul Marsh, chief executive of the Australian Cricketers’ Association, issued the strongest public statement yet following Cricket Victoria’s announcement, reflecting the growing unease among players. Multiple contracted players from both Melbourne clubs reached out to the players’ union after Tuesday evening’s news broke, prompting Marsh to urge all factions of Australian cricket to unite. In a social media statement, he emphasized the gravity of the privatization decision. "There has been much recent discussion around privatising the Big Bash League clubs," Marsh said. "This is a significant decision for Australian cricket and one that the Australian Cricketers' Association (ACA) believes must be made with the long-term, broader interests of the game in mind. As it stands, Australian cricket is not unified on a way forward and as a result, we are a long way off a solution." ## Contract and governance assurances Under the existing Memorandum of Understanding between Cricket Australia, the states and the ACA, any privatization of Big Bash League clubs requires agreement with the players’ union. While talks between Cricket Australia and the ACA continue, no agreement is imminent, making any talk of privatizing teams for the coming season premature. Marsh added, "Under the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between Cricket Australia (CA), the States and the ACA, it is clear that agreement must be reached with the ACA for any Big Bash clubs to be privatised. Whilst a potential agreement between CA and the ACA is being discussed, it is not imminent and as such, any talk of privatising any teams for the coming season is premature. Cricket Victoria's announcement about a merger between the Stars and Renegades with the introduction of a new, privately owned club has created confusion, uncertainty and anxiety amongst players. Whilst this may or may not happen at some point in the future, we reiterate that there is a process to play out here before this can occur. The ACA believes now is the critical juncture for all in Australian cricket to come together to find the best model for the future of all stakeholders in our game." ## Cricket Australia clarifies no final decisions Cricket Australia CEO Todd Greenberg also addressed the situation on Wednesday, stressing that no decisions have been finalized. "We continue to work with the States to explore options for private investment in the Big Bash Leagues," he said. "There's still plenty of work to be done and nothing has been decided or approved as yet. We are aware of Cricket Victoria's intentions, which would still mean there are two teams in Melbourne. As I've said before, private investment would involve some changes to the Big Bash Leagues and the clubs as we look to secure the future of Australian Cricket." ## Player contracts and team list adjustments Following initial confusion, contracted players from both clubs were contacted by Cricket Victoria representatives on Tuesday to confirm that their existing deals would remain intact despite the administrative changes. The Stars currently have 10 contracted men’s players, including Glenn Maxwell and Marcus Stoinis, and seven WBBL players including Meg Lanning, Annabel Sutherland and Marizanne Kapp, all of whom will stay on with the merged team. The Renegades have nine BBL players — Oli Peake, Jake Fraser-McGurk and others — but not Adam Zampa, who is seeking a new club. In the WBBL, Sophie Molineux and Georgia Wareham are among six contracted players. Both clubs will need to fill 18 spots on their men’s lists and 15 on the women’s lists, with list management teams yet to be finalized. ## Coaching and management shake-ups Head coaches for next season have not been confirmed, even though Cameron White of the Renegades and Peter Moores of the Stars have one year remaining on their contracts. The Renegades do not yet have a WBBL coach after Simon Helmot’s resignation, while Andrew Christie remains contracted to the Stars. Off-field changes are also underway: James Rosengarten, long-time Renegades general manager involved in list decisions, will take charge of the new merged team, and Max Abbott, who managed the Stars’ cricket director and coaching appointments, has been reassigned to a caretaker role with the Renegades.