Sydney Thunder eager to negotiate with ACT government over BBL contract

The franchise has signed a contract with the ACT government to play two men's and one women's fixture at the ground each season.

The agreement was initially slated to run until the end of next summer, however Friday's announcement of the contraction of the BBL has cast a cloud over the future of matches at Manuka Oval.

The parties were originally due to negotiate a new contract for the 2024-25 summer to coincide with the planned reduction of the number of matches in the Big Bash.

Friday's announcement, however, threw that timeline into doubt after Cricket Australia brought the change forward by 12 months. The schedule for the upcoming season is likely to be finalised in the coming months.

The shift came as the governing body responded to fan and broadcaster complaints in a bid to rejuvenate the Big Bash.

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With the team to now play just 10 matches each summer, the Thunder is hesitant to schedule 40 per cent of home games in the ACT.

The ACT government doubled down on Friday afternoon, expressing their intention to ensure the team fulfils their obligations in the agreement.

Sydney Thunder head Andrew Gilchrist, however, told The Canberra Times his organisation intends to return to the negotiating table in the coming weeks.

"There are very early discussions at this stage," Gilchrist said. "It's probably too early to confirm how many games Canberra would get.

"Canberra is a really important area in Thunder nation, the club has played there for a long time. There's definitely a future for Canberra in our club but we're working through that.

"We'll work with [the ACT government]. The shortened amount of games was due the following year. We'll work with Canberra and Cricket Australia to come to an agreement that ultimately benefits everyone."

The Thunder has invested heavily in building a loyal supporter base in Canberra in the past few years and fans turned out in force for two games at Manuka Oval last season.

Playing games in the ACT is also a lucrative financial move for the team, the government paying top dollar to lure the Sydney franchise south.

While the ultimate goal for both the government and Cricket ACT is for a standalone Canberra-based Big Bash team, such a dream is likely years away.

Instead, the Thunder help fill the gap for an eager public desperate for elite cricket content.

Gilchrist recognises his team must walk a fine line between tapping into the Canberra market and serving their supporter base back home.

"It's a juggling act," he said. "We've got some really good people at Cricket NSW who are working through that process now.

"We need to find a balance. The players like playing in Canberra, we get good crowds, it's a great facility. There is a future for Canberra but we're based in Western Sydney, we need to make sure we're servicing fans in both areas."

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