ACA commits $3 million to support players through 2020/21 and 2021/22

The Australian Cricketer’s Association (ACA) has agreed on a range of measures with Cricket Australia that will see $3 million invested into supporting players through a summer that continues to meet the challenges posed by the ongoing impact of Covid-19.

Through the Revenue Share Model – that sees players share in the game’s revenues, whatever they maybe – the ACA has agreed on a range of measures with Cricket Australia that will see investment into areas including economic support, wellbeing support and family access.

Following Cricket Australia’s investment of additional resources into the BBL to attract marquee oversees players, the ACA has agreed to a third overseas player for each BBL team and to make an $876,000 investment into the BBL across the next two seasons – to attract marquee players or uncontracted CA players this year, as well as to increase the BBL salary cap for next year.

Additionally, as part of the ACA’s ongoing work to charting a path to professionalism for Australian women’s cricket, it is investing more than $876,000 back into the female game to increase retainers for the WNCL.

ACA CEO Alistair Nicholson said the investment was further confirmation that the Revenue Share Model has enabled the game to ensure its players are well supported through an Australian summer where players will spend much time away from their homes and families.

“Through the flexibility offered by the Revenue Share Model, we’ve been able to work with Cricket Australia to invest back in the game at a time when many other sports have cut back,” he said.

“This has allowed us to recognise the incredible growth and success of the women’s game by increasing retainers for our domestic players, while at the same time investing back into the quality of the men’s game in the BBL, allowing for an extended squad and an increase in each team’s retainer cap.”

In summary, the ACA’s support includes:

WNCL Retainers

$876,000 to increase WNCL retainers over the next two seasons. 2020/21 retainers will increase by 7.5% to $28,911 (an increase of approximately $2,000 for each player); and in 2021/22 more flexibility will be introduced so that minimum retainers will increase by 6.3% to $29,000 and included the provision to pay players up to maximum retainer amount of $44,000 (up from $27,287).

WBBL

As the WBBL is being played in a tournament hub subject to biosecurity protocols, preventing WBBL players from the opportunity to gain additional income from secondary employment, the ACA is allocating $459,900 to support WBBL players (local and local replacement) that have gone into the hub to the amount of $3,500 each (plus superannuation).

BBL Third Overseas Player 2020/21 and 2021/22 and Player Payments

The ACA welcomes Cricket Australia’s significant financial investment into the BBL to attract marquee overseas players. As a result, the ACA has agreed to the squads being increased to 19 players for BBL 2020/21 allowing an additional player – a marquee overseas player or uncontracted CA player – to come in. This measure, alongside an investment from the ACA will ensure we have a good balance of quality overseas players and talented Australian players.

In 2020/21 and 2021/22 BBL teams may contract a third primary overseas player who can be replaced using the existing overseas replacement player provisions, and may include a maximum of three overseas players in a squad and team at one time. To accommodate this, BBL squads will be increased to maximum 19 players for 2020/21 – falling back to 18 in 2021/22.

To supplement CA’s increased investment in marquee overseas players, the ACA will invest:

• $438,000 in 2020/21 to be allocated to retainers and superannuation for the new player (being an uncontracted CA player or third overseas player).
• $438,000 in 2021/22 to increase each team’s retainer cap, available to contract all players.

Wellbeing support

The ACA is investing up to $500,000 for additional player wellbeing measures and up to $500,000 to facilitate family access for the 2020/21 WBBL, BBL and Shield (pre-Christmas) covering the costs below for a player’s husband, wife, partner and/or dependent children and the parent/guardian of any players under the age of 18.