As the world battles the global pandemic, cricket fans are entertained by their stars via different means. The sporting fraternity has risen up to the occasion in all possible means.
However, the fans and the players are waiting for the action to start. In this anticipation, the Australian start Ellyse Perry has said that WBBL can be vital in saving cricket which has been the victim of the crisis globally. According to a report published by Cricket Australia, the all-rounder believed that if officials could get “really inventive” with the domestic schedules, then cricket of Australian summer could revive with no hopes of international cricketing action.
She said that the Women’s Big Bash League can be a boost to Australian cricket. The Australian cricket is under unprecedented financial pressure and the shutting down of games leads to more complications. The game looks ahead to a new season while facing unexpected and severe difficulties. It was earlier revealed that Cricket in Australia could run out of money by August. As a result, cuts were made in the budget.
The Australian cricket board is now looking ahead to a successful arrival of the Indian team which could fuel millions of dollars into the setting on the back of fancy broadcast deals. It is not to mention that with a rise in uncertainties throughout the globe, the cricketing calendar has taken a hit and will do so in the near future. If international travels are not a thing to look forward to in the recent future, then Perry feels that officials will have to be “really inventive” to take the domestic competition to center stage.
She adds that the WBBL can turn out to be the first cricket that fans shall enjoy this summer. The tournament, she feels is a strong enough competition to sit on the gap. She says that the WBBL alongside BBL are the biggest sources of revenue and fan engagement, however additional light has to be given on domestic clashes and other products.
“Sport in general is resilient and I can’t actually see it having a long-lasting negative effect,” Perry told the Australian Associated Press.
These could generate, according to her, more revenues. Nevertheless, she says that though she is not an expert in insights of Aussie revenue streams, she realizes that upcoming fixtures will be vital. She, importantly, points out that revenue and the financial condition of the game are essentials but the time like this throws interesting opportunities. WBBL emerged with a separate season last year. It had a significant viewership.
Perry, on one side, acknowledges that the break on games would hamper the growth of female cricket and then feels that WBBL has the potential to extract more gain on the back of record-breaking world cup. She feels that the success of the World Cup held recently in the Aussie backyard will be felt for decades. The bar, according to her, is now high and there is no going back. The game and women cricketers will be loved on television sets as they were in MCG a few weeks ago.
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