2019-20 Big Bash League

[Hamingja]

Crowds down again, although above all the reasons given by CA I wonder if more regional games has impacted this? Certainly don't have an issue if Alice Springs, northern Tasmania, Geelong etc get extra games. Might be smaller total crowds but more accessible to a higher number of people.

Crowds before Christmas have always been ordinary so they tried to play a heap of regional games then.

I think they need to look at the pre-xmas games more as loss leaders and don't go as heavy on the regional games.

Yeah less people go and they may not make money from it but the people that do go will go to work the next day and talk up Short's innings or whatever and you build a bit of word of mouth momentum for future home games.

With Hobart playing in Alice Springs and Moe and wherever you don't get that. Then when the home games in Hobart do come it is just flat.

 

[Admiral Byng]

Eventually I'd like to see the competition expanded to 10 teams, with more internationals but a shorter season.

The way I would do it is to scrap the home and away component of the season which means 8 teams play all of the other 7 twice, meaning 14 regular games. Too long IMHO.

I'd rearrange the season into 5 home games, 4 away games and 3 games at a neutral venue. 12 games per team, should be a long enough H & A season. The neutral venues would be the regional grounds they use now.*

Schedule needs to be arranged for more double-headers - especially games at regional venues with no lights, or Perth home games at night.




*disclaimer - I have not yet sat down with a pencil and paper and worked out if this is mathematically possible.

 

[The Speaker]

Where are all these extra players coming from?

 

[happy_eagle]

Where are all these extra players coming from?

New Zealand if its a trans tasman comp

 

[Scorpus]

The competition isn't strong enough to support an extra 2 teams.

The current teams have at least 1 crappy grade cricketer per XI, often more. The Renegades pace bowling attack for the last few matches for example has been Wildermuth, Fekete and Christian with Mennie as a backup. Yuck!

If anything they need to address the amount of internationals (increase to 3 per XI) and hope the BPL changes its schedule so we get an increase in international quality

 

[Van_Dyke]

Where are all these extra players coming from?

it’s what this competition really needs, more grade cricketers playing

 

[Wilso24]

These numbers aren't pretty. Playing games in regional areas will play a part in the attendance drop.

Having the game in Alice Springs only draw just over 1000 hurts.., as well as some of these 3pm starts on weekdays.

Why not play double headers Friday/Saturday nights in prime time? 4.30/8pm

The fixture defies belief at times, just like the TV deal which allows for Fox exclusive games

CA got greedy and are now paying the price

Sent from my ELE-L29 using Tapatalk

 

[eth-dog]

Prefer to look at the % of capacity filled for the tournament

 

[JG22]

May be unpopular but I find it unideal to be playing so many games at regional grounds.

Great for those people but just seems unimpressive from a competition and international standpoint where you’re going to be playing in the country in front of a few thousand, maybe I’m just ignorant I’m sure there’s many reasons for including financial. But I don’t think it’s that negatively impactful.

I’m likely the continuous consistency in games this year, nearly every night with two a night a bit.

 

[Hamingja]

Save for the Sixers game on the Central Coast I don't think the regional games have even been that well supported by the locals.

 

[peternorth]

There is certainly a feeling of malaise IMO about the BBL

 

[DEVO]

The BBL season goes for too long, and needs a complete review.

They need to look at the number of teams. Whether they expand to Canberra and perhaps Auckland. Canberra is a must, more than 500,000 people live in the Canberra region (Canberra/Queanbeyan/Goulburn/Yass & the smaller towns within one hour) and it's growing rapidly. Canberra has a wonderful oval that should to be used more often than once or twice a season and fans who would happily support a local team over the summer months, as we don't have too many national teams to follow at this time of year.

They need to look at the number of games played. Whether they reduce it 10 (if they bring in new teams) or back to the original 8 (if they stay with eight teams) because 14 games is too long and looking at the number of empty seats it I think the fans are thinking the same thing.

They need to look at the number of venues they play at and the times the games are played. Playing in Alice Springs on the afternoon of 45 degree day is not a good look. If a game at Alice Springs can not be played at night, then it shouldn't be included.

They need to look at the number of internationals that can play in each game. Maybe an extra international (I think it 2 at the moment - please correct me if I'm wrong) will improve the standard of the league and in turn the quality of Aussie players in the future.

And they need to review if Channel 7 is the best free to air network to telecast the BBL. Channel 10 did a brilliant job, I feel the last two years have seen the quality of the telecast slip a little. The commentators not so much, although not being able to partner Ponting and Gilchrist is a major negative. I think they have found a couple of new guys who aren't too bad, I've liked listening to Tim Paine the last few games, Brad Hodge is pretty good, and Greg Blewett isn't too bad. Not sure about Katich.

 

[corbies]

Save for the Sixers game on the Central Coast I don't think the regional games have even been that well supported by the locals.

I assume you mean Coffs Harbour?

 

[ROOTA#6]

I assume you mean Coffs Harbour?

The game at Moe that the Stars played was packed

 

[Kyptastic]

The game at Moe that the Stars played was packed

The Heat game at Metricon also had a very strong crowd.

 

[eddiesmith]

The game at Moe that the Stars played was packed

Which shows if they want to go Regional they should genuinely go regional.

The Stars at Metricon is a joke. Renegades aren’t drawing in Geelong. The games should be Ballarat, Bendigo, Albury and they can keep Moe

 

[Admiral Byng]

Where are all these extra players coming from?

I said eventually. Like 10 years or so down the track. More internationals. Growth of the popularity of cricket drawing more kids into the game, more juniors coming through the ranks in Australia. Popularity driven mostly from the BBL itself. Kids see it as a viable option to make a living playing cricket.

I think dropping back to a six team state competition would be a huge step backwards. We have to stick with the eight teams we've got, but get the right format and length of competition, right now it is too long and the best Australian players are unavailable. Get that right, grow the game, expand in future.

 

[The Speaker]

I said eventually. Like 10 years or so down the track. More internationals. Growth of the popularity of cricket drawing more kids into the game, more juniors coming through the ranks in Australia. Popularity driven mostly from the BBL itself. Kids see it as a viable option to make a living playing cricket.

I think dropping back to a six team state competition would be a huge step backwards. We have to stick with the eight teams we've got, but get the right format and length of competition, right now it is too long and the best Australian players are unavailable. Get that right, grow the game, expand in future.

Flies in the face of reality. The reason for their push for growth among kids is because the number of people playing cricket at club level has been declining. Clubs are shutting, merging, and not fielding anywhere near as many teams as they used to.

 

[Drugs Are Bad Mackay?]

8 games was perfect.

Play everyone once and your rival team twice

Four home games only which become more of an event. Only a handful of chances to see your team so you didn't miss it

 

[hamohawk1]

Season needs to finish before or just on when kids go back to school.

 

[Mighty Storm]

I think the crowd numbers although dropping are about right for the standard of the players on display,there's lucky to be 1 or 2 gun bats in each side then we get some good state players followed by a couple of park cricketers,please no more extra teams ,just extra internationals.

 

[Yoda_]

Was brought up earlier but if someone can be ****** working out the players who have played for multiple teams (3 or more) that'd be ace. Feel like we continue to give C & D grade cricketers more chances, it's turning into the A - league where they would prefer proven players over youth & opportunity.

I don't think the brand would cope with expanding the teams, as most have pointed out the dept of the 'Gades' recently has been nothing short of embarrasing! Imagine diluting the talent pool further? It'd be bordering on controversial.


I've always liked the way the IPL do the players. Re committing players x, y & z and the rest of that pool going into the draft. Would allow the non competitive teams to return quicker, even giving those depth players at the stronger clubs a chance to go and play cricket for a lesser franchise.

 

[Yoda_]

I think the crowd numbers although dropping are about right for the standard of the players on display,there's lucky to be 1 or 2 gun bats in each side then we get some good state players followed by a couple of park cricketers,please no more extra teams ,just extra internationals.

I was thinking the other day how many guys are genuine international match winners consistently?

Adel; Rashid Khan,
Bris; AB De Villiers, Chris Lynn
Sth;
Six;
Scor; M.Marsh (?)
Hur; DÁrcy Short
Star; Glenn Maxwell,
Ren; Aaron Finch


These would be the guys that you pay a ticket for with confidence knowing you are going to get a show! Yes, a number of guys I have overlooked and are probably on the brink of breaking into this top tier but this group I have full confidence of saying '"yep, let's go and see X play today". An indictment that only one full time bowler is in this group, perhaps a tad harsh on Rauf who has been nothing short of an excitement machines, ditto others like Riley Meredith, Fawad Ahmed who are match winners in there own right but you just don't know what you will get on the day.

Sad really but them the facts (opinions in this case) of how little star power our comp has.

 

[Yoda_]

Which shows if they want to go Regional they should genuinely go regional.

The Stars at Metricon is a joke. Renegades aren’t drawing in Geelong. The games should be Ballarat, Bendigo, Albury and they can keep Moe

What regional grounds around Australia could host a BBL game?

Moe (1), Alice Springs (2), any other regional grounds that have even been used? Im not using Geelong as a regional town as it has a population of 250,000 and is only an hour from Melbourne (4.45m people) so not really regional is it?

 

[Yoda_]

The BBL season goes for too long, and needs a complete review.

They need to look at the number of teams. Whether they expand to Canberra and perhaps Auckland. Canberra is a must, more than 500,000 people live in the Canberra region (Canberra/Queanbeyan/Goulburn/Yass & the smaller towns within one hour) and it's growing rapidly. Canberra has a wonderful oval that should to be used more often than once or twice a season and fans who would happily support a local team over the summer months, as we don't have too many national teams to follow at this time of year.

They need to look at the number of games played. Whether they reduce it 10 (if they bring in new teams) or back to the original 8 (if they stay with eight teams) because 14 games is too long and looking at the number of empty seats it I think the fans are thinking the same thing.

They need to look at the number of venues they play at and the times the games are played. Playing in Alice Springs on the afternoon of 45 degree day is not a good look. If a game at Alice Springs can not be played at night, then it shouldn't be included.

They need to look at the number of internationals that can play in each game. Maybe an extra international (I think it 2 at the moment - please correct me if I'm wrong) will improve the standard of the league and in turn the quality of Aussie players in the future.

And they need to review if Channel 7 is the best free to air network to telecast the BBL. Channel 10 did a brilliant job, I feel the last two years have seen the quality of the telecast slip a little. The commentators not so much, although not being able to partner Ponting and Gilchrist is a major negative. I think they have found a couple of new guys who aren't too bad, I've liked listening to Tim Paine the last few games, Brad Hodge is pretty good, and Greg Blewett isn't too bad. Not sure about Katich.

Good post!