BBL introduces multi-year deals for overseas players to prevent exodus to competitor leagues

Cricket Australia (CA) is hoping to solve the problem of players leaving midway during the Big Bash League (BBL) and the Women's Big Bash League (WBBL) by introducing a multi-year contract structure for overseas players. However, the draft will continue as the multi-year contracts will be signed outside of the draft.

The men's competition has been hampered by players leaving for other leagues during the course of the tournament. However, teams will now be able to sign one overseas player in the BBL and WBBL in a multi-year deal. The multi-year deals can be signed before the W/BBL drafts but clubs will still need to draft at least two more. The players who will sign multi-year deals will have to remain with the side till the final.

However, in what is an interesting change, players who sign a contract before the draft, be it a single year or up to three years, cannot be retained by their former club. This opens up a possibility, for instance, of star Afghanistan spinner Rashid Khan being taken away from Adelaide Strikers after Melbourne Stars attempted to draft him at the last two overseas drafts only for Strikers to use their retention pick.

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Strikers would not have rights to Rashid at the draft if any other club signed him under the new contracting regulation. If the talismanic leg-spinner or another player who qualifies for a retention pick is not roped in ahead of the draft, they can be retained as per the previous rules.

The new multi-year contracts will allow the players to negotiate the best deals for themselves. To put things into perspective, the players can demand an amount of over AUS$420,000, which is the current overseas draft platinum contract. However, the salary cap will be AUD$3 million for each team and they will have to fit all 18 players in their squad with that amount. In the WBBL the platinum level is AUD$110,000.

Overseas players will be allowed to limit their playing availability for the upcoming season due to pre-existing contracts with other leagues. However, from the 2025-2026 season onward, any player who signs a deal before the draft will have to be available to play the full season plus the finals.

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"We are excited to introduce this new contracting mechanism for the upcoming WBBL and BBL seasons. We have worked closely with clubs and the ACA to continue developing and enhancing the Big Bash, and a key focus has been ensuring the best players continue to compete in the Big Bash, and for longer periods," BBL general manager Alistair Dobson said.

"The opportunity for international players to ink multi-year deals with teams not only strengthens the League's global appeal but also provides clubs with greater stability and strategic planning capabilities," he added.