Cricket Australia has decided against expanding the Big Bash League, and has moved the start date of the tournament back to late December for next summer to try and arrest dwindling crowd numbers.
A two-day Cricket Australia Board strategy review meeting finished up on Friday and voted to maintain the current structure of eight teams, including two each in Melbourne and Sydney.
If the competition changes its mind and looks to expand in the future, CA is likely to look to regional areas rather than adding more teams to the big markets on the eastern seaboard.
Last year the Big Bash commenced on December 7 and was greeted with significantly lower crowds than those that welcomed in the much-hyped previous summer of 2011-12.
Cricket Australia believe that maximising the number of matches they can stage post-Christmas, will boost crowds.
The average attendances post-Christmas jumped 50 per cent compared to the same time in 2011-12.
Meanwhile, the Hobart Hurricanes were smacked with a $10,000 fine for salary cap-related breaches under the Additional Service Agreements (ASA).
“The Board felt that enforcing the rules relating to ASA compliance was important in maintaining the competitive balance of the League,” CA said in a media release.
CA has also pledged financial support to an upgrade of Melbourne’s Junction Oval, with a view to hosting Sheffield Shield and international tour matches at the venue.
CA chief executive James Sutherland updated directors with the ongoing broadcast rights discussions, however he said details would not be made public.