Huge cash win for Aussie stars
Cricket Australia has further raised the bar when it comes to rewarding its elite female stars with the average domestic wage set to pass $160,000 after adding a state-based T20 competition to the summer schedule.
Boldly declaring an intent to raise investment in women’s and girls cricket to a massive $500m over the next decade, the new competition will make up the games lost by the WBBL that will be shortened to fall in line with the men’s BBL.
The WBBL will become a 40-match competition with games again set to be staged at venues including the SCG and Adelaide Oval as CA maintains its push for the women’s game into major stadiums.
This summer will also feature the first women’s Test at the MCG for more than 70 years when Australia plays England.
The new domestic women’s T20 competition will create “additional high-performance opportunities for domestic players” and comes with a cash windfall for those involved.
The average female domestic player salary for 2024-25 – inclusive of WBBL contract, state/territory contract and domestic match payments – will jump to $163,322, an increase of $12,303 on 2023-24.
The WBBL salary cap, which was boosted to attract the world’s best players, will be maintained, meaning no reduction in player payments.
“Australian cricket has been at the forefront of the growth in women’s sport, providing some of the best opportunities for players with resourcing and remuneration and it’s reassuring to know this commitment will not only be sustained but greatly enhanced over the next 10 years,” superstar Ellyse Perry said.
“With viewing audiences increasing, the public appetite for women’s sport is now indisputable and we would love to see major stadiums filled with fans for our international and WBBL games and more girls inspired to play cricket.
“It is also extremely important that the increased interest in women’s sport is reflected in sponsorship and broadcast deals, and I hope this plan will continue to drive this growth so that women’s cricket continues to thrive.”
The Australian women’s cricket team holds both the T20 and ODI World Cups, the Ashes, and also won the inaugural Commonwealth Games gold medal.
CA boss Nick Hockley said women’s cricket was “one of the great success stories of Australian sport”.
“We’ve seen what is possible with transformative moments such as 86,174 fans packing the MCG for the T20 World Cup final, which remains the highest attendance for a female sporting event in Australia,” he said.
“There is so much more opportunity and work to be done to ensure big crowds in big stadiums more often, that our incredible role models are given the profile they deserve, that all facets of the game are gender balanced, that through imaginative partnerships we drive commercial growth, sustainable investment and ultimately that more women and girls are inspired to love and play cricket.”
