BBL games 'squeeze' to hit Canberra and regional Australia cricket fans

Healy, who is also Brisbane Heat's chairman, lamented Cricket Australia's decision this month to cut the BBL down from 14 games to 10 for each team from 2024/25.

The call followed pressure from broadcasters and the public, and there has been some talk the change could come into effect as early as next season.

Healy is concerned it's places like Canberra that will be left out from BBL fixtures in the future, with the Thunder no longer able to fit in those visits. And similarly the Heat will be forced to scrap their regional stops.

"It'll definitely put a squeeze on," Healy told The Canberra Times.

"At the Heat we try to take as many games regionally as we can, whether it be Mackay, or Cairns, or the Gold Coast."

It's understood there is one year left in a deal with Cricket Australia to keep Thunder games coming to Canberra.

In the 12th edition of the BBL, of the Thunder's seven home games, two were played in Canberra and one in Albury, with the remaining four played at Sydney Showground Stadium.

When they have only five home games a season however - whether that's from 2023 or 2024 - those fixtures become more precious.

Healy has been critical of some of the BBL scheduling decisions this year, particularly how congested the fixture gets towards the end of the season.

He suggested a trial period for fewer games may be wiser than the swift cut proposed, particularly if the 10-game format is brought in sooner than planned.

"I think 12 might be the go," Healy said. "Our international program is pretty full again next year, so we might not get there [to 10 early], and so maybe cut it from 14 to 12 games each, not 10.

"Then the following year, if you want to go to 10, let's try to 10. But I think everyone's loved this year, and it's gone pretty well. Maybe we should just trim it a touch and test that water first."

The return of international stars like David Warner at the Thunder and Steve Smith at the Sixers has injected life into the BBL toward the finals with bumper attendance and broadcast figures.

It's highlighted the box office appeal the competition can have when it boasts the world's best, and Healy believes a major shift in the international schedule could allow Australian stars to play more BBL games.

"Now that Sydney have had their Test disrupted too often because of rain, I'd love the Sydney Test to go before Melbourne and Melbourne to be our last Test for the summer," Healy said.

"We could move that first Test into early November not late November, and then we've got January free. So if Melbourne are okay with having the last Test being the Boxing Day Test, let's go.

"That would clear January where international one-dayers used to be, which is now domestic T20.

"It is a hard thing to do because you're dealing with countries that are desperate to play Australia and that international versus domestic clash is always a big challenge."

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