Cricket news: South Africa T20 league in danger after Indian TV snub

One of the BBL’s biggest rival tournaments has suffered a major blow which has given the Australian T20 competition a wake-up call about the potential perils of private ownership.

Mitch Marsh and Josh Inglis.

The Big Bash has been given a timely warning of the risks of private ownership with South Africa’s new T20 league in disarray after a major television snub.

All six of the franchises in the new SA20 competition which will overlap the Big Bash were sold to Indian Premier League franchises and the expectation was this would guarantee a rich Indian television deal which would ensure the league’s financial future.

But leading South African broadcaster Neil Manthorp has revealed that when bidding closed for overseas television rights on Wednesday no Indian network had submitted a bid.

Manthorp said the competition, which has snatched many of the international stars the Big Bash were craving, cannot survive without an Indian deal so there is massive pressure on South African officials to go to the four or five major Indian networks and find out why they did not express interest.

“The networks are aware that the SA20 (and Cricket South Africa) are not merely inconvenienced by the lack of a broadcast partner in India, but critically hamstrung,’’ Manthorp wrote.

“Fatally injured, in all probability. They may be able to limp through the first season but thereafter the funds would dry up and the project would be doomed.’’

Perth Scorchers celebrate winning the BBL11 final.

South African players during a recent T20 series against India.

There is a push for the Big Bash to be privatised to allow it to be financially competitive with rival leagues.

There would be a high chance that, as was the case in South Africa, Indian Premier League franchises would buy most, if not all, the licences but the television snub is proof private ownership has many complex threads.

“There are two scenarios, or perhaps a combination of both,’’ Manthorp wrote of the SA20 crisis.

“SA20 has overpriced its product to such an extent that even India’s fiercely competitive broadcast networks have agreed to stand firm in brief solidarity. Or that the networks, all interested in the product, have temporarily agreed to work together to drive the price down before the free-for-all scramble to claim the prize when the starting price is right. The way that wolves hunt as a pack.’’

The South Africa team is in Brisbane for a World Cup warm-up match against New Zealand at Allan Border Field on Monday.