Cricket Australia’s Ambitious Plan to Grow Women’s Cricket and Revenue Streams
Cricket Australia is gearing up for a decade of unprecedented growth and success in women’s cricket, with a new domestic T20 competition set to be announced today at the iconic MCG. The nation’s champion women’s team has been driving a surge in interest in the sport, and CA is capitalizing on this momentum with their new Women and Girls Action Plan.
The action plan, which outlines CA’s vision for women’s cricket through to 2034, aims to fill stadiums and grow viewership for matches. The average salary for domestic players is set to increase to $163,222 next season, an eight percent rise from last year, thanks in part to the introduction of the new competition.
The 10th season of the WBBL will feature a 40-game regular season, aligning with the men’s T20 competition, and will be broadcast in its entirety by Fox Cricket. CA is targeting an additional $100 million in revenue from women’s cricket over the next decade, with hopes to increase match attendances by 600,000.
A highlight of the upcoming season will be a day-night Ashes Test at the MCG in January, featuring Australia and England. Star player Ellyse Perry, who played a key role in devising the action plan, believes it will lead to increased participation in the sport by women and girls.
The action plan also includes initiatives to promote women in all roles within cricket, with the goal of having at least 40 percent of key positions held by females. CA will invest $500 million in infrastructure for women’s cricket and aims to quadruple the number of primary school-aged girls playing the sport.
CA CEO Nick Hockley is confident that the new action plan will accelerate cricket’s leadership position and drive further growth in the sport. With the success of the Australian women’s team and the growing interest in women’s cricket, the future looks bright for the sport in Australia.