IPL Owners Set to Take Over Big Bash League? Expansion Plans Revealed

The IPL owners might just expand their availability to another popular cricket league. Big Bash League might invite 49% stake of all the teams in the tournament. While the owners of the BBL teams are yet to express their opinions on this, it would be a good opportunity for the IPL owners.

The IPL owners are just diversifying their ownership across the different franchise leagues. They already have teams worth billions of dollars in the IPL. Yet they have invested in teams across several other franchise cricket tournaments such as SA20, Caribbean Premier League, ILT20, Major League Cricket, and more.

But now it is being reported that another T20 league is looking forward to inviting investments from the owners. And this is the Big Bash League, probably the most popular one after the IPL. It is being reported that the BBL is looking forward to opening 49% of the team ownerships for the interested buyers to get the team.

The reports also suggest that 49% stake will be sold for six teams and the remaining two teams could be sold 100%. For the same, Cricket Australia is likely to have some discussions with the state owners, and if they agree, the proceedings for the sale process will also take place soon.

Our Take

The selling of stakes in the BBL brings down an opportunity for the IPL owners to diversify their ownership in the franchise cricket. Last year, the RPSG Group and Sun Group were able to expand themselves to The Hundred. And now with an opportunity to enter the BBL market, it would be one any IPL owner wouldn't like to miss. The move by Cricket Australia to sell 49% stake is also well planned, as the board would not want handing over full ownership to the new owners soon.