If Cricket Australia is serious about growing the game and putting the fans first, they must include Canberra on the Test match schedule on a rotating basis.
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This isn't a Canberra versus Hobart debate, as much as former Cricket Tasmania chairman Tony Harrison wants it to be with his ridiculous outburst.
This is a debate about what is the best outcome for the game of cricket and how it can be taken to new markets.
Harrison's rant where he labelled Canberra officials as "fat cat bureaucrats" took away any sense of impartiality and surely must force his resignation as an independent director of CA.
So what if the ACT government pays CA, or other national sporting organisations for that matter, to bring their events to Canberra?
It's called smart business, knowing that major sporting events - such as international cricket, such as soccer's Asian Cup, such as the Socceroos - inject millions of dollars into the local economy.
What Harrison forgot to mention is the fact Canberrans have showed up in their droves whenever a cricket event has been staged in the city.
Since the redeveloped Manuka Oval welcomed the Australian team for the first time for a one-day international against the West Indies in February 2013, 86,958 people have come through the turnstiles at an average of 9662 per game.
That includes two ODIs involving Australia, three PM's XI games, three World Cup games - including a sell-out for Bangladesh v Afghanistan - and the sold-out Big Bash League final.
That's pretty impressive for a ground with a capacity of about 12,000.
A favourite phrase among officials is voting with your feet, and the Canberra public has definitely done that.
But this isn't just Canberra. This is a greater Canberra region with a population base of almost 600,000.
It's not uncommon for spectators to drive three hours from the Riverina region and the south coast to get their cricket fix at Manuka.
The ACT government and Cricket ACT have kept their noses clean and have avoided getting involved in a public slanging match.
It's the right move. Negotiations are at a delicate point. They know anything they say will be closely scrutinised by the powers in charge.
They prefer to let the numbers do the talking.
A Test match at Manuka Oval would have an estimated crowd of 35,000 across five days. The opening day would be a sell out, while the Saturday would also be strongly supported with club matches to be postponed.
Meanwhile in Hobart, they have upgraded projections to 15,000 for the first Test against the West Indies starting on Thursday. That includes 2500 school children bused to the ground for the opening two days to boost numbers.
It wouldn't be surprising to see the Hobart public exceed those expectations after the scare campaign of the past week, but that shouldn't guarantee a Test match at Bellerive every year.
What would be wrong with rotating the summer's sixth Test match between Hobart and Canberra?
That way, the Test would be an event and avoid the public taking it for granted.
For too long, cricket has been stuck in the past with the six state associations making all the decisions in their own interests.
The introduction of an independent board to CA was brought in to ensure the game's best interests were at heart.
Money is always going to be a factor, because the more money there is derived from Test cricket, the more that can be siphoned back down the chain to the grassroots and help junior development.
After all, that is what the game is all about.
