I can't believe how boring I'm finding these games to be.
They only seem to be able to hold my interest for about 5 overs each innings.
Earl, you're not the only one who has found the BBL boring this season.
Although I'm not a huge fan of T20 cricket, it must be said that the Big Bash format was FAR more interesting and better quality when there were state franchises rather than city franchises. This is the number one reason why there hasn't been anywhere near as much interest this season.
With the state franchise format, the supporters could identify with the players as players like Simon Katich for NSW weren't jumping across to play for Perth when the city franchise format began (as well as a myriad of other Sheffield Shield/Ryobi Cup players). This is also leads to the other issue of players who have simply jumped from one team to another during the off-season, hence the fans not being able to identify with their franchises. I was a NSW Blues supporter before the city franchises. Now, I simply don't care for either Sydney 6ers or the Thunder. From the moment they changed the Big Bash format, I knew that there were going to be many problems.
Now, if CA was absolutely insistent on having 8 city franchises, 2 Melbourne and 2 Sydney teams was going too far. There should've been only one city in those cities, and then the other two teams would've been based in regional areas. For me, the possible locations would've been Newcastle (playing at No 1 Sportsground), Canberra (playing at Manuka Oval), Geelong (playing at Simonds Stadium), Launceston (playing at Aurora Stadium) or Gold Coast (playing at Metricon Stadium). This would've created a lot of interest for people outside of the cities and big crowds in those locations would've ensued. For me, I would've chosen Newcastle and Canberra as the two regional franchises. The Sydney franchise could've split their home matches between the SCG and ANZ Stadium (hence connecting also with the ppl of Western Sydney) and Melbourne could've split their home matches between Etihad and MCG, rather than having two separate teams within a stone throw's distance of each other.
Also, you have the BIIIIIIG issue of scheduling. Like the state franchise format, the competition should've begun AFTER Christmas (i.e. during school holidays) and furthermore, not clashed with INTERNATIONAL matches where Australia was playing. By playing BBL matches on the same day that the national team is playing - as well as the BBL putting the Sheffield Shield season on hiatus - they have come off appearing like the bastard child who appears out of nowhere, claims to be your long lost brother/sister and then makes a move to claim your portion of the inheritance.
And yet, things are going to get worse next season where we have shortened our summer of international fixtures just so we can accomodate the 'bastard child'. I didn't realise that teams in the BBL this year will play an extra match, making the tournament 35 matches in total (compared to 20 before the format changed). As has already been seen in India, there's just simply way too much cricket now and hence a decline in crowds as fans are simply now picking and choosing between which matches to go to. As much as I loathe the Indian cricket team, it is very sad to see the huge drop off in crowds for tests and ODIs over the past decade there. It wasn't so long ago that the first three days at Eden Gardens sold out the last time we played a test there in 2001 (and this was before they reduced the capacity from 90k to ~ 60k).
I know this has been said a million times and it deserves the essence of repeating: I would not shed a tear at all if either the IPL or BBL go bankrupt and die in a sea of red ink. They deserve to for stuffing around the more important forms of the game.
