Cricket Australia Unveils 10-Year Plan to Boost Women's Cricket

Cricket Australia (CA) has announced an ambitious 10-year plan aimed at significantly increasing fan engagement, participation, and revenue in women's cricket. The plan, revealed on April 30, 2024, includes key changes to the Women's Big Bash League (WBBL) and the introduction of a new state-based T20 competition.

Under the new plan, the WBBL will be reduced from 59 to 40 matches per season, aligning it with the men's Big Bash League (BBL). This move is intended to make the tournament more appealing to overseas players and fit better into the growing women's cricket calendar. To compensate for the reduction in WBBL games, CA will launch a new state-based T20 competition that will run alongside the existing 50-over Women's National Cricket League.

The plan sets bold targets for women's cricket in Australia by 2034, including attracting an average of 600,000 fans to women's matches each summer, up from around 120,000 last season. CA also aims to quadruple participation rates among young girls aged 5-12, from 25,000 to 100,000, and increase annual revenues from women's cricket to A$121 million (US$79.39 million), a significant rise from the current A$21 million.

Why this matters: Cricket Australia's 10-year plan represents a major commitment to the growth and development of women's cricket in the country. The ambitious targets for increased participation, attendance, and revenue demonstrate the sport's governing body's recognition of the immense potential and popularity of women's cricket.

To support these goals, CA will invest A$500 million in infrastructure and aim to achieve 40% female representation in key administrative positions. The average women's domestic player salary will also increase by 8% to A$163,322 for the 2024-25 season.

Australian all-rounder Ellyse Perry, who played a key role in drafting the plan, welcomed the 10-year commitment, stating, "The public appetite for women's sport is now indisputable, and this plan will help drive growth in sponsorship and broadcast deals to ensure women's cricket continues to thrive."

Cricket Australia CEO Nick Hockley emphasized the importance of the plan, saying, "This action plan will accelerate cricket's leadership position in women's sport and ensure big crowds in big stadiums, increased profile for role models, gender balance across all facets of the game, and sustainable investment to inspire more women and girls to play cricket."

Key Takeaways

• Cricket Australia unveils 10-year plan to boost women's cricket
• WBBL reduced from 59 to 40 matches, new state-based T20 league added
• Targets: 600K avg. fans, 100K girl participants, A$121M revenue by 2034
• A$500M investment in infrastructure, 40% female representation in admin
• Avg. women's domestic player salary to increase by 8% to A$163,322