Updated September 9, 2026 — 1:58pm,first published 1:26pmCricket Australia’s decision to put the Melbourne Renegades up for sale and open the way for wider private investment in Big Bash League clubs has been hammered by Cricket NSW, the home state of CA chair Mike Baird and chief executive Todd Greenberg.A day after CA made the announcement at the SCG, although without the cricket ground in the background after a request from NSW to keep the Sydney Sixers’ home off-camera, Cricket NSW chair John Knox and chief executive Lee Germon delivered their response.Mike Baird announcing the BBL sell-off.George Chan“Cricket NSW is disappointed by Cricket Australia’s decision to proceed with introducing private investment into the Big Bash Leagues without alignment across Australian cricket,” the state association said in a statement on Wednesday afternoon.“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. Cricket NSW strongly believes in the future growth of the WBBL and BBL. Both leagues and all clubs are powerful drivers of participation and fan interest in cricket.”Responding to the CNSW statement, CA chief executive Todd Greenberg said on Wednesday: “As I said at yesterday’s announcement, I am very confident private investment in the Big Bash Leagues will provide enormous long-term benefits for all levels of Australian Cricket. CA shares CNSW’s pride in the Australian cricket system and the brilliant players and thousands of participants and fans it continues to produce.“We believe that investing a significant proportion of the proceeds from the sale of Big Bash club licences in a future fund will provide the best and most reliable source of funding for grassroots cricket, elite pathways and high-performance systems across the game for generations to come. We will continue to work with all states and the players to ensure the best interests of the game are enhanced and protected.”Cricket NSW chief executive Lee Germon declined a request to answer follow-up questions about the statement.CA and CNSW have spent a great deal of time trying to thrash out their differences recently. Baird and Greenberg attended a CNSW board meeting, and all CNSW directors were also present for a call with the CA board.Those meetings were exhaustive and occasionally heated, but ended with neither side backing down, nor being convinced by opposing arguments.Following the end of their consultations, the CA board chose to push ahead with allowing Cricket Victoria to sell off the Renegades, while pressing ahead with a wider “self-determination model” allowing other states to make up their own minds about selling. The CNSW statement makes it clear that the nation’s biggest cricket state remains discontented.Cricket Australia chair Mike Baird and CEO Todd Greenberg address the media pack in Sydney.Getty ImagesBaird was a NSW nominee to join the CA board, and is up for re-election at this year’s AGM next month. It is possible that NSW will change their choice of state nominee, with Baird then needing to move to one of the independent spots on the CA board if he wishes to continue as chair.“We are proud to be part of an Australian cricket system that is the envy of the world,” Cricket NSW said. “Yesterday’s announcement threatens this system. The redistribution of profits to external investors reduces our ability to invest in community cricket, creating long-term impacts at all levels.“The Cricket NSW board is also disappointed by the process leading to this decision. We have raised concerns directly with Cricket Australia, proposed an alternative pathway to strengthen the Big Bash, and highlighted significant risks within the proposal, informed by high-quality external advice.“Additionally, the four pre-conditions for a sale process, unanimously agreed by all state chairs in June, have not been met. Cricket NSW will continue working with Cricket Australia on behalf of our members, participants, volunteers, supporters and all cricket lovers to ensure our game continues to thrive in our state and nationally, underpinned by a world-leading system.”Over recent months, the arguments from Knox, Germon and their advisors – including Melbourne Cricket Club committee member and Adara Group partner Christian Johnston – have been in favour of retaining ownership of BBL clubs and seeking to raise the value of the competition by other means ahead of the next round of broadcast rights.“The BBL is Australia’s most-watched and second-highest attended sports league per game,” the state association said. “Last summer’s record crowds and endless memorable moments, headlined by an unforgettable Sydney Smash at the SCG, showed the Big Bash has never been stronger.“The WBBL continues to attract the world’s best players and inspire more girls and boys to play our game. The profits from our successful and healthy Big Bash clubs – the Sydney Sixers and Sydney Thunder – are reinvested into growing participation in cricket.“This focus on our purpose has led to 80 per cent growth in 5 to 12-year-olds over the last four years, and one third of contracted players across Australia coming from NSW.”At Tuesday’s announcement, Baird and Greenberg stressed that any sale of BBL clubs would take place with appropriate controls to ensure the primacy of Test cricket in Australia.“We’re not saying there aren’t risks,” Baird said. “There are. You’ve got to be practical and realistic there. We will be very clear upfront that if you want to participate, here are all the protections that we have, and anyone coming in, that’s what they’ll be.“We’ll have the control of those protections. Private investors will have a say in the day-to-day running of the competition. [But] we control the league, we control the schedule, and that’s an important protection.”What they said...From the South Australian Cricket Association:“The South Australian Cricket Association (SACA) acknowledges today’s announcement by Cricket Australia that it intends to proceed with a process that allows private investment in BBL clubs.SACA remains in discussions with Cricket Australia regarding key elements of this announcement.However, we note CA’s decision provides SACA with 100 per cent equity ownership and decision-making rights over the Adelaide Strikers’ future ownership structure.While the decision made overnight was Cricket Australia’s to make, SACA reassures its members that no decision has been made with regards to any potential sale of the Adelaide Strikers.”From Queensland Cricket:Chair Kirsten Pike and CEO Terry Svenson said today that Queensland Cricket had yet to see the finer detail of the CA Board’s decision last night.“The proposed self-determination model will need to be carefully examined, and no doubt there are likely to be further questions and clarification,” they said.“Our intention from the outset has been to arrive at a position that is in the best interests of Queensland and Australian Cricket so that our game continues to thrive for not only the next generation but the many generations to follow.“Queensland Cricket has worked very hard to ensure that a self-determination model does not penalise a state for electing not to sell at this stage, and to see no reduction in funding that would affect how we run our cricket programs in Queensland.”From the Western Australian Cricket Association:“The WACA board is carefully considering Perth Scorchers’ involvement in Cricket Australia’s newly approved opt-in privatisation model for the Big Bash Leagues, and expects to formalise its position shortly,” said CEO John Stephenson.“We will communicate that decision as soon as it has been made.”From the Melbourne Renegades:“Cricket Australia today approved bringing private investment into the Big Bash Leagues by commencing a sales process for the Melbourne Renegades, with Cricket Victoria open to finding the right partner to strengthen cricket at all levels in Victoria,” general manager Max Abbott said.“Importantly, our focus remains firmly on the season ahead. Planning continues at pace, including finalising our playing lists and delivering a summer of great cricket and entertainment for families. This has and always will be at the core of the Big Bash.“We will keep members informed if there are further updates to share.”News, results and expert analysis from the weekend of sport are sent every Monday. Sign up for our Sport newsletter.From our partners