What does this merger mean? - Nick Cummins | Cricket Victoria CEO (03.06.26)
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What is the reasoning behind merging the Victorian Big Bash League franchises?
You're speaking directly to those who would have barracked for the Stars and the Renegades. Can you explain to them why their teams will soon be abolished?
Yes, I can. We've thought about this very deeply in the context of BBL's sale, which has been widely reported over the last few months. Cricket Victoria has decided to sell 100% of one of the teams. We're cognisant of the fact that when that team is sold, their name is likely to be changed. So if we use the Renegades as an example... the Renegades would change their name to another team. We were concerned that the Renegades fans in this instance then may not support the new team, but then also because they'd spent the last 15 years hating the Stars, wouldn't support the Stars. So what we felt would be most appropriate is to go back to where we were when the Big Bash first started, which is that we had a Victorian team, a team that played in the blue and white and represent all the Victorians.
How will the changes affect the fans of the Stars and Renegades?
So that's our intention is to go back to the original BBL team that we had and have a team that is for everyone in Victoria that wears the big V blazer. It would still be called Melbourne. It's a city-based team, but ultimately a team that all Victorians connected to Victorian cricket can get behind.
Do you have the right to close these teams and to make these choices without public or member consultation?
No.
Yeah, we do. And I mean, critically, we have consulted members, not all members, but we ran extensive focus groups back in February, January, February around this about, okay, if we sold a team, would you support the other team? All fans said no, they wouldn't. Would you support a team that was a Victorian team? And fans said yes, they would.
What consultation process was conducted with the members regarding the merger?
And so we have consulted broadly because we We came up with some theories, but we really needed to talk directly to members. So we spoke to Stars and Renegades members. We also spoke to Melbourne or Victorian-based fans of the Big Bash who don't actually support a team either way. They like the Big Bash. They go to Big Bash games, but they don't have a team. And all three groups said that they, well, certainly the Stars and Renegades fans, that they would not support the other team, but they would support a team that played under a sort of Victorian banner.
Inherent in this, is there a concession that there was no legacy value in the Stars and the Renegades brands that had been built across 15 years?
Not at all. I mean, I'm sure you would see some reaction from some of the fans today.
What legacy do the Stars and Renegades brands hold for fans?
And, you know, I've got some emails as well. There's some people who it's been part of all of their life. So for you and I, Gerard, we can remember a time before the BBL, but there are a lot of our fans that the BBL has always been cricket to them. So it does mean a lot. The stars and the renegades do mean a lot to a lot of people. And we recognize that, very conscious of that. Yeah.
are you assuming, and based on what you've just told us, are you assuming that everyone will switch their allegiances to the new team playing in Victorian Blue?
No, I think some will switch straight away and be very excited about it. I think that some will come along once they've seen what it looks like and decide how they feel.
How does the CEO expect fans to react to the new Victorian team?
And I think there's some that may choose to stay with the new team as well. So, no, I think there will be a range of reactions. We hope that the majority will come with us. And we believe that there's a great story there. And when we launch the new brand and the new kit, I think that will excite fans. But it's hard to ask them to get behind something when they don't even know what it looks like.
Will they be the Bushrangers?
Look, we haven't decided on the name yet. The Bushrangers is in play and that's something that holds a lot of emotion and heritage for a lot of fans.
What heritage considerations are being made in naming the new team?
What we need to consider though is that the Bushrangers is fairly gender specific and as opposed to when the Bushrangers existed previously. Now we've got a WBBL team as well as a BBL team. So we are mindful of that. So we're just working through that at the moment.
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Chapters
7 chapters
1
What is the reasoning behind merging the Victorian Big Bash League franchises?
0:00–0:56
2
How will the changes affect the fans of the Stars and Renegades?
0:56–1:43
3
What consultation process was conducted with the members regarding the merger?
1:43–2:27
4
What legacy do the Stars and Renegades brands hold for fans?
2:27–3:09
5
How does the CEO expect fans to react to the new Victorian team?
3:09–3:43
6
What heritage considerations are being made in naming the new team?
3:43–4:28
7
What metrics are being used to evaluate the success of the two-team model?
4:28–7:44
Speakers
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