For the upcoming season of the Big Bash League (BBL), Cricket Australia has announced new rules allowing franchises to sign players outside of their normal salary cap. The decision was made in response to the Steve Smith incident during the 2021–2022 season.
Despite the series against New Zealand being postponed, Smith was unable to play for Sydney Sixers in the playoffs because he was not on the playing lineup due to his commitments with the Australian team.
The new regulations allow players to sign marquee supplementary contracts with specific organizations even if they are not anticipated to be available for a given season. The player will be reinstated to the full-time squad and allowed to participate if conditions change and they become available for selection.
New rules of BBL promise higher pay for female players
According to the new guidelines, female cricketers will get paid $110,000 while the highest-paid foreign men’s player would receive $420,000 in the tournament. The top six male earners for each franchise must be given a minimum of $200,000 each, whereas the top five female players must earn a minimum of $50,000 each.
The $3 million salary cap will allow every organization to sign as many players as they want, with a minimum of 18. Additionally, they are permitted to sign two more players on regular $50,000 contracts outside the salary cap. However, if they eventually play for the organization, just their match fees will be taken into account when determining the salary cap.
With these additional regulations, the Big Bash League aims to avoid future issues like Smith’s and encourage more famous players. Alistair Dobson, the league’s commissioner, believes that the majority of Australian talents will play in the BBL in the coming season.
“It’s always our ambition for as many of those players to be part of the BBL as possible. We hope that the mechanisms will enable clubs to sign players even if they are either unlikely or not available. Because having them around the BBL and ready, if available, is a really important part of the competition for us,” Dobson stated
CA’s decision that allows franchises to sign players outside of their normal pay cap has the potential to drastically change the league’s dynamic. This competition will provide teams with the chance to put together strong teams and attract star players, which will make the competition more thrilling and exciting for fans.
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