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Cricket Australia is planning a major revamp of the Big Bash League with Melbourne's two teams reportedly set to merge. The merged team would retain the Melbourne name and play at the MCG, wearing navy blue state colours. Cricket Victoria intends to fully sell the second licence, which may still involve the Renegades brand playing across multiple venues. The plan faces mixed support among states, with NSW and Queensland rejecting private capital involvement while Victoria, WA and Tasmania are supportive.
Melbourne’s two Big Bash League teams are reportedly set to merge, as part of Cricket Australia’s major revamp of the T20 competition. The new merged team would still be called Melbourne rather than Victoria, due to the BBL’s rules, and would play at the MCG and likely wear the state colours of navy blue.
Cricket Victoria runs both teams, but the state is reportedly committed to selling its second licence entirely , with that team also expected to be renamed. Previous reports had suggested the Renegades would be sold and play games across the MCG, GMHBA Stadium, the Junction Oval and Chennai, India.
This may still be the case for the second licence and given the size of the Melbourne market it would seem exceedingly unlikely the team would be relocated elsewhere but this is uncertain. Marcus Stoinis of the Stars and Will Sutherland of the Renegades pose during a Melbourne Mace BBL Media Opportunity at Fitzroy Town Hall on December 19, 2025 in Melbourne, Australia.
when Queensland joined New South Wales in rejecting the plan, but the organisation remains keen on a partial privatisation model.
“NSW and Queensland are certainly not supportive of private capital. NSW have an alternative model to self-fund it. Queensland don’t have an alternative model. But they don’t believe private capital is something for them,” CA boss Todd Greenberg said at the time.
“South Australia are in a hybrid situation where they would like the ability for some states to take the opportunity to bring private capital in, and for some states to come in later at their choice. “Then three other states, Victoria, WA and Tasmania who are very strong and very supportive at the opportunity to bring private capital into their states. “So if you’re sitting in my shoes, with a federated model and six members, that’s why it’s difficult.
” Privatisation would inject cash in the short-term and potentially see BBL sides linked to counterparts in other international T20 competitions, at the risk of losing control of the teams and any future profits in the long-term. The Renegades won the 2018-19 championship while the Stars famously are the only team to have never won a BBL title, finishing as runner-up three times.
Big Bash League Cricket Australia Melbourne Stars Melbourne Renegades Team Merger Private Capital Cricket Victoria
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