Million-dollar salary cap for Big Bash League

[1983-2011]

The eight new teams in Australia's Big Bash League will each have a $1 million salary cap to spend on their 18 players. Cricket Australia has confirmed the figure, and while the minimum playing contract has been set at $20,000, there is no maximum, so international stars like Chris Gayle are free to demand hefty six-figure sums. Gayle has reportedly set his price at $250,000, which would leave little room to manoeuvre for whichever side signs him up. The Perth Scorchers are expected to make an offer to Gayle, who has been a major drawcard for Western Australia in the Big Bash over the past two seasons, but other teams could also chase his services. The teams can begin signing up players from 9am on Thursday, and they have three weeks to secure at least 14 players. By December 9, a week before the competition kicks off, each team must have signed 18 men, which can include up to two international players. Shahid Afridi will be another international star in the sights of the city-based sides after his retirement from international cricket, but the pool of potential signings will be small, with most countries involved in international series during December and January.:giggle: The recently-retired Muttiah Muralitharan would have been a potential drawcard, but he has instead chosen to play in New Zealand's domestic Twenty20 tournament.:hatsoff: http://www.espncricinfo.com/australia/content/story/521190.html

[1983-2011]

so it seems that the first season of new BBL will be 9 times smaller on wage scale compared to the 4th season of IPL

[Serani]

Will just be like the IPL with all those Aussie no hopers around.

[achilles]

Robin Uthappa makes more money than the entire budget of an Australian PL team. Jeez, Aussies must be real poor :phehehe:

[1983-2011]

I think its better to start small rather than have big plans and never start the league like ECB (remember standford:cantstop:) and PCB(PPL:hysterical:)

[achilles]

I'm sure all the resident punters were betting big on the Lahori Lions to play in the Champions League :( Stanford was maybe the epicest KLPD in the history of ECB.

[jairamesh]

Muttiah Muralitharan would have been a potential drawcard, but he has instead chosen to play in New Zealand's domestic Twenty20 tournament.

With good reason considering Australia's prejudice against Murli's success.

[ganeshran]

Its a sensible move - cricket is not Australia's only game, there is not enough audience to guarantee returns on much higher investments. To start this is a prudent cap - if the league establishes its profitability they can always increase it next year

[1983-2011]

Its a sensible move - cricket is not Australia's only game, there is not enough audience to guarantee returns on much higher investments. To start this is a prudent cap - if the league establishes its profitability they can always increase it next year

weren't they thinking about inviting foreign businessmen to buy stake in their new teams? whats the update on this, have they release name of their investors

[ganeshran]

weren't they thinking about inviting foreign businessmen to buy stake in their new teams? whats the update on this' date=' have they release name of their investors[/quote'] Even if foreign investers invest, there needs to be a huge domestic market to justify large salaries. IMO the thinking behind Big Bash is quite good, they dont want to over extend themselves till they have a solid product ready

[jairamesh]

weren't they thinking about inviting foreign businessmen to buy stake in their new teams? whats the update on this' date=' have they release name of their investors[/quote'] I don't understand this inkling for requirement for rich businessmen to back a t20 team, it borders on lahori logic; "once we get a sheik to set-up t20 league, and get his rich mates to buy the teams, our (paki) league will be the best". For any professional sports league (or competition) to be successful commercially it needs a market (eye balls on tv). A billionaire to invest in a t20 team, he or she will be looking for billion dollar market. In cricket there is only one market that offers that opportunity. So you can set-up a league in abu-tatti or gondwanaland, but without exploiting the indian tv market organizers can dream on matching the IPL teams. Hence, in cricket no-one can (or ever will) come close to the achieving the commercial success of IPL. No richman is an idiot.

[The Outsider]

People get so chuffed with the IPL salary cap as if they are getting a cut out of it. :winky:

[1983-2011]

Gayle, Warner sign with Sydney Thunder Chris Gayle and David Warner will form a dream opening partnership for the Sydney Thunder in the Big Bash League after Gayle knocked back a $250,000 offer from the Perth Scorchers. The Thunder, based at ANZ Stadium, were the fastest out of the blocks after the contract window opened at 9am on Thursday, confirming both major signings within the opening hour. Each team can sign up to two overseas stars, although there is room to replace a player who has to leave due to international commitments, so more than two could be rotated during the tournament. The other early signing on Thursday came from the Brisbane Heat, who confirmed the fast bowler Ryan Harris would be part of their squad. Simon Katich has become the first player to sign up with a Big Bash League team outside his current state after it was confirmed he would join the Perth Scorchers this summer. Katich is the captain of New South Wales but chose not to play with one of the two Sydney-based Twenty20 sides, and instead will return to his home city for the tournament, a decade after moving from Perth. In the shorter version, he will be joined in Perth by the Western Australian trio of Marcus North, Shaun Marsh and Luke Pomersbach. Michael Hussey has also agreed in principle to playing with the Perth side subject to his availability.

[1983-2011]

People get so chuffed with the IPL salary cap as if they are getting a cut out of it. :winky:

+1, that's with any sport, we don't get anything out of it after spending hours watching it. we feel pain or joy when our favourite team/player performs poorly or magnificently but in reality we do not get anything out of it except for short term satisfaction or misery.

[The Outsider]

+1' date=' that's with any sport, we don't get anything out of it after spending hours watching it. we feel pain or joy when our favourite team/player performs poorly or magnificently but in reality we do not get anything out of it except for short term satisfaction or misery.[/quote'] I can certainly identify and understand with feeling good and chuffed about good sporting performances, specially if they come from players you admire. But what is the rationale behind 'My country's league pays more money than yours'?

[gakgupta]

Any Indian players involved in this league??

[Number]

People get so chuffed with the IPL salary cap as if they are getting a cut out of it. :winky:

they pay a cut of it.:--D

[CoverDrive]

From what I have heard Aussies say they are not very happy with the City based franchises - Aussie cricket has a very strong traditions of state sides and people really get behind their states. Their logic would be that they dont want private control of State sides. Sydney and Melbourne have two teams - who will you support - if the final is between two Sydney team doesn't it take out all the fun

[Pagalpanti]

Any Indian players involved in this league??

Nah, BCCI denied because we have the Australia tour during that period. I'd have loved to see some of the youngsters there though, they could get so much experience of playing in Australia. Albeit just t20.

[King]

Now then they can't blame IPL for global warming :hysterical: BBL here we go, they have criticized IPL left, right and center but are going with similar set up. England, so much for their tradition have invested plenty on promoting domestic Twenty20. SL has recently joined in. Why is everyone blaming IPL then?